The Streitberger Placebo-needle is exclusively manufactured by asia-med
*There is a two week delay with this item as it ships from the manufacturer*
*This product is not eligible for any discounts or promotional pricing*
The optimal placebo-needle:
- looks like a real acupuncture needle
- appears as though the skin is being penetrated, even though it is not
- can be applied at an acupuncture point
- is convincing to the patient
The Streitberger Placebo-needle is indistinguishable from a real acupuncture needle and validated, it is the best placebo control for a single-blind randomized clinical trial (RCT) of acupuncture.
A set of Streitberger Placebo-needles consists of:
- 100 Streitberger placebo-/sham-needles (0.30 x 30 mm / (Gauge 8 x 1.2")
- 100 verum acupuncture needles asia-med Special No. 16 (0.30 x 30 mm / (Gauge 8 x 1.2")
- 200 plaster
- 200 rings
Instructions for use of the Streitberger placebo-needles
Placebo needle and verum needle has to be applied in the same manner:
1. Locate and disinfect the acupoint
2. Apply the ring at the acupoint (fig. 1)
3. Cover and fix the ring with the plaster (fig. 2)
4. Stick the needle through the plaster inside the ring (fig 3)
The verum needle will penetrate the skin and has to be moved into deeper tissues until patients reaction will indicate DEQI [C]. As soon as the placebo needle will touch the skin, the handle of the needle has to be pushed over the needle [A + B]/(fig. 4). After treatment time the placebo needle has to be removed quickly gripping it at the needle, not at the handle.
More resources:
- Streitberger K, Kleinhenz J. Introducing a placebo needle into acupuncture research. Lancet 1998; 352: 364-365.
- Streitberger K: Akupunktur in der Therapie des Rotatorenmanschettensyndroms bei Sportlern. Eine randomisierte placebokontrollierte Studie mit einer neu entwickelten Placebo-Nadel. Inauguraldissertation, Heidelberg der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität, 1998. [PhD-Thesis, GER]
- A detailed evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages in practical use can be found at: McManus CA, Schnyer RN, Kaptchuk TJ, et al: Sham acupuncture devices - practical advice for researchers. Acupuncture in Medicine 2007;25(l-2):36-40 (PubMed ID: 17641566)
