Acupuncture

[bixaorellana]

It's surprising to see that there is no thread yet for this subject, even though there is one on natural medicine and people here have reported using acupuncture.

This is prompted by a flawed (in my opinion) report on a flawed (in my opinion) study. As one of the respondent's to the report says:

This notion that acupuncture may not be conducive to being studied according to Western research models that work well (although far from flawlessly) with pharmaceuticals is an important one. It’s an idea that too few people take the time to consider when reading the latest headline about acupuncture’s efficacy.

well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/studying-acupuncture-one-needle-prick-at-a-time/?th&emc=th

I am very curious to hear how others respond to this article and also about personal experiences with acupuncture. The person quoted above suggests this link as valuable for those wanting to read more about acupuncture.

[Deleted]

I would absolutely love to try acupuncture the day that I have some sort of condition that it can be used on. I am pretty much convinced that it is very useful.

[cigalechanta]

i had lots of acupunture when I was younger, free because I agreed to lobby and speak at the State House to make it legal in my state (Ma.)
I also appeasred on PBS getting a treatment but to be honest, I experienced no improvement. I also tried the staple in the ear for weight loss.

[gertie]

Staple in the ear for weight loss? Ok yes I am picturing a big regular staple in the ear. I'm also picturing it hurting so much I clearly wouldn't want to eat.

I saw a show once where they used a lot of hair regrowth methods and one was this Chinese woman using ancient herbal formula. The guy had very nearly as much hair regrowth as the guy that used rogaine. Based on this I've always assumed there might be some truth to other Asian methods.

I've never tried acupuncture, but I know someone that had a baby using it and absolutely swore by it. My personal view on acupuncture is it probably works for certain things very well. I've taken this view based on same friend telling me pressure on the right places in the hand relieve headaches and it sure seems to work for stress headaches. From that I just have always sort of guessed properly performed acupuncture probably would relieve certain aches and pains. I've never tried it as we don't have many Asians in our near area, and I'd want it done by someone trained properly over there, not some Westernized hippy quack. I'm sure they have the best of intentions, but I think it's probably best to get someone with the historic training passed down to them.

[hwinpp]

My sister treated her asthma with acupuncture and it went away.

[Deleted]

I do always wonder about the placebo effect, except that acupuncture sometimes works on people who don't even know what is being done to them, not to mention those video reports they show sometimes about dogs and cats getting acupuncture. (But can animals really say "I feel so much better now" after the treatment?)

Same goes for reflexology.

[bixaorellana]

I can't imagine that a technique that old which is still being used by doctors who are also graduates of mainstream medical schools could be only a placebo.

Here is an article from the Montreal Gazette. A pain conference is currently underway in that city.
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Neuroscientist Ji-sheng Han, China's foremost acupuncture expert, never goes for needle therapy but not because he's a skeptic.

Known for unravelling the science behind the 2,000-year-old medical treatment for pain, Han explained that he's among some 10 to 15 per cent of people for whom acupuncture simply fails.

"Acupuncture doesn't work for me," said Han with a laugh Tuesday during an interview at the 13th World Congress on Pain held in Montreal. "And this is strange because I believe psychologically that it works. But physiologically, I can't respond."
...
Research on human volunteers and animals showed that acupuncture can suppress sensitivity to pain and it does so by activating the body's own painkillers, morphine-like substances in the brain or opioids called endomorphin and enkephalin.

Those who respond poorly to acupuncture, react by also producing too much anti-opioids, which cancels the morphine-like effect, he said.

full story here

[hwinpp]

Reflexology or accupressure are hoaxes.

[Deleted]

But I love looking at those maps of the foot in their display windows.

[Deleted]

I've been meaning to respond to this thread for sometime,and keep getting sidetracked.
Some years back,I began having chronic knee problems,unrelated to my torn meniscus which I subsequently reinjured and ended up having surgery to repair.
Not too unlike what Bixa describes,it only really bothered me walking on inclines,pavement (after lengthy walks on) and would oft times wake me in the middle of the night,throbbing.Arnica cream or gel would help some,and I hated taking acetametaphine,ibubrofen for on a regular basis,which only gave me temporary relief anyway.
The orthopedist that I went to prescribed anti inflammatory medicine,along the lines of Celebrex,which I hated to take even more,and it caused horrible stomach cramping,GI distress.
I heard wonderful things about a woman who it turns out I knew when she was a medical resident,she did her Western medicine training in Psychiatry and I knew her many,many years ago.I found her to be a very capable,compassionate physician,and was delighted to hear that she had gone to China and trained with a Chinese elder woman in Chinese Herbal medicine and acupuncture.
I sought her out and went to see her with my knee ailment.
I was a tiny bit anxious,a wee bit skeptical,however,she put me right at ease.
I described to her in vivid detail my ailment,brought her xrays from the orthopedist,and listened to her real carefully about what she recomended.
I was insistant that I not see any needles.
On the table,I relaxed,felt some pressure from what I assume was the needles,and then began to feel blood flowing out of my foot. A most peculiar sensation,not painful or even the slightest bit uncomfortable at all. I lay there for about 30-40 minutes,and then she came and took out the needles. I had drifted off,totally relaxed,and calm.
I was instructed to take it easy the rest of the day.
That one treatment completely alleviated my ailment.
I was astounded.
Subsequent small flair ups (after extensive walking in NYC or other places with pavement,inclines)were treated by her in the same manner.
When I tore the meniscus in my knee I went to see her. She was totally up front with me about how limited she was treating it,as it was torn. She recomended surgery to repair it. It was East meets West at it's finest,I have to say. She told me she could give me some relief,but,that it would take almost a year to get back to normal and that I was at high risk of reinjuring it.

[betsie]

I've tried it a few times but it had no effect whatsoever. I don't believe in any fringe or alternative medical treatments. Doctors are good people and would happily apply such techniques if there was any scientific evidence that they worked, but there isn't.

They can work as a placibo of course.