Many YouTube videos on peripheral neuropathy are not evidence-based
By Kathryn Doyle (Reuters Health) – People looking on YouTube for information about peripheral neuropathy would find many videos, but most discuss alternative medicine rather than evidence-based treatment, according to a recent study. An estimated 20 million people in the United States have some form of peripheral neuropathy – usually manifesting as numbness, tingling or muscle weakness - that results from damage to the peripheral nervous system, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The damage can have many causes, including physical injury, diabetes, kidney disorders, autoimmune disorders and heavy alcohol consumption. Evidence-based treatments include addressing these underlying conditions, pain medication, other classes of drugs like antidepressants, physical therapy and surgery for some types of neuropathy. “The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has published the recommended guidelines in the treatment of neuropathic pain since 2011,” said lead author Dr. Harsh V. Gupta of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. “However, when you look at the information on YouTube, there is still a majority of videos describing the treatment outside the scope of the published guidelines.” YouTube is quick and convenient and hosts a lot of good information, but it is not regulated, so patients should consult physicians before implementing information from online videos, he said. Gupta and his coauthors searched YouTube for videos related to peripheral neuropathy in September of 2014 and analyzed 200 of the search results. About half of the videos featured healthcare professionals, 52 featured patients describing their condition and 45 fell into neither category. The videos were about two to three minutes long, on average. Healthcare professionals discussed more causes, symptoms and complications of neuropathy than patients did. Videos discussing treatment tended to get a significantly higher number of views, according to the results in Muscle & Nerve. Almost half of the 92 treatment videos included healthcare professionals, most often chiropractors. Out of 145 treatment discussion videos, alternative medicine was cited in 54, devices were discussed in 38 and medications were discussed in 23 videos. “Currently there is a shortage of neurologists nationwide,” Gupta told Reuters Health by email. “Without the in-depth knowledge in neuropathy as neurologists, other specialties may not be able to answer the patients' concerns or questions.” “With the wide availability of YouTube, it is not surprising for the patients to turn to YouTube when their questions or needs are not met,” he said. Many patients with a wide range of conditions may seek out medical information on YouTube, he said. “In many cases, the credibility of who is providing information on a video is unclear,” said Corey Hannah Basch of William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey, who was not part of the study. “It may be difficult for a consumer to discern whether the source of information is reliable in relation to the issue at hand, and it could be impossible to tell if those providing information in the video are legitimately health professionals,” she told Reuters Health by email. Social media websites have extensive reach, and have great potential for increasing understanding or creating confusion and disseminating inaccurate or dangerous information, Basch said. “Our paper, similar to other published studies shows that information on YouTube may not be reliable,” Gupta said. The American Academy of Neurology Website would be a good start for most patients, he said. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1HaZ7YT Muscle & Nerve, online October 19, 2015.
