Health briefs: Good points, bad points

Good points

When it comes to the relief of chronic pain, acupuncture is, indeed, effective, a sweeping review of previous research finds. The conclusion stems from a fresh analysis of initial raw data that had been collected by 29 studies conducted in Germany, Spain, Sweden, the United States and the United Kingdom. Collectively, these past investigations had involved nearly 18,000 patients. "We looked at only the best-quality studies," said study author Andrew Vickers of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. "So I can say with confidence that what we found is the strongest evidence to date supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture."

Bad points

Accidentally swallowing a toothpick or other foreign object can cause serious health problems, such as blood poisoning (sepsis) or liver abscess. Researchers reporting in BMJ Case Reports said toothpicks, pins, nails or small bones that end up in the gut may not show up on conventional X-rays and often create vague symptoms, making detection difficult.

-- HealthDay