Does Acupuncture Really Treat Depression Effectively?
Acupuncture Monotherapy At the time when Manber, Allen, and Morris (2002) published their review article, only one double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of acupuncture had been available. The study assigned 38 women, all of whom met criteria for major depressive disorder, to three different groups: a specific treatment designed to treat the energetic imbalance thought to underlie the patients depression; a nonspecific treatment designed to treat a pattern of disharmony that was not related to the patients depression, but that was characteristic of the patient; or a wait list. The specific treatments reduction in depression scores was not significantly different than the control group, but based on self-report and clinical interviews it was determined to be significantly more beneficial than the non-specific group (Manber, Allen, & Morris, 2002). Acupuncture versus Pharmacology Larzelere and Wiseman (2002) reviewed two studies which studied acupuncture versus antidepressant
