Accupuncture

Trig

Trig

Trig

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
7,790
Location
Leicestershire
Anyone ever had any?
I'm going for some tomorrow just wondered if any of you lot had any first hand experience..
 
I'm not sure there is much evidence that's its any better than a placebo in so far as sham acupuncture (needles placed randomly rather than in the special magical places) apparently produces more or less the same effect...AFAIK it is a stronger placebo than water or sugar pills...

If you're seeking treatment for something serious though you should probably go see your GP.
 
I had some done in my ears once, at some team building thing there was a group of us had it done; I had about 10 tiny needles in each ear. I was skeptical about it and I challenged the lady that was in charge to cure me of the headache that I had, she proceeded to walk over and twist one of the needles and just like that my headache was gone. The mind is a wondrous thing.
 
Dave**** said:
I had some done in my ears once, at some team building thing there was a group of us had it done; I had about 10 tiny needles in each ear. I was skeptical about it and I challenged the lady that was in charge to cure me of the headache that I had, she proceeded to walk over and twist one of the needles and just like that my headache was gone. The mind is a wondrous thing.
Click to expand...

There is a pressure point near the thumb that can reduce headaches (without even needing needles) - its been blind tested doing it on the spot and nearby on different individuals so it does apparently work.
 
It's hokum. Sure you come out of it usually feeling relaxed and with a few more holes, but it won't cure medical conditions that require actual treatment.
 
I dont have any medial conditions, its the same guy that does physio on my lower back since I had an NHS physio screw me up by overtwisting me (not gone into it on here before but basically pulled lower back muscles, went to NHS, she twisted me and I ended up with prolapsed disk, mate does sports physio so instead of going back to the NHS he's been sorting me out instead) I've always has issues with my leg hip being cold and I get pins and needles in my arms if I sleep with my arms up over my head while laying down (low blood pressure?!) he said one of the things that accupuncture is meant to sort out is circulation so he wants to use me as a case study, guys been a friend for a long time so have no issues with it, just basically asking if anyone had actually had any rather than the "Its all unproven mumbo jumbo" I seem to have gotten lol
 
Gackt said:
It's hokum. Sure you come out of it usually feeling relaxed and with a few more holes, but it won't cure medical conditions that require actual treatment.
Click to expand...

I would argue that while it may not have any affect on physical symptoms, it can certainly benefit psychological symptoms.

Whether that's due to the placebo effect, or because the acupuncture does actually work, I couldn't say, but ultimately, does that matter if it makes you feel better?

I've had it once - not for any particular ailment, but just general stress, and I certainly felt a lot more chilled out afterwards! :p
 
Haggisman said:
I would argue that while it may not have any affect on physical symptoms, it can certainly benefit psychological symptoms.

Whether that's due to the placebo effect, or because the acupuncture does actually work, I couldn't say, but ultimately, does that matter if it makes you feel better?

I've had it once - not for any particular ailment, but just general stress, and I certainly felt a lot more chilled out afterwards! :p
Click to expand...

It's the same for Homeopathy, Chiropractic etc. I keep reading about it in Psychology journals, while there may be little hard evidence that the treatment itself has an effect, the placebo effect is very real. Thus, they have medical relevance as, one way or another, the patient feels better.
 
Haggisman said:
I would argue that while it may not have any affect on physical symptoms, it can certainly benefit psychological symptoms.

Whether that's due to the placebo effect, or because the acupuncture does actually work, I couldn't say, but ultimately, does that matter if it makes you feel better?

I've had it once - not for any particular ailment, but just general stress, and I certainly felt a lot more chilled out afterwards! :p
Click to expand...

While no doubt many practices of it are entirely hokum I disagree that it is itself entirely hokum and/or entirely placebo - individual acupressure techniques have been blind tested in isolation and shown to work (i.e. ones for relieving migraines and/or headaches), obviously its not a replacement for surgery and can't work miracles, etc.
 
I've had it for a knee injury and found it quite helpful. It wasn't really the 'magic healing properties' aspect of it though, the guy was a physio and explained that its intent was to bump-start the healing process for a long standing issue I had by stimulating nerves and muscle points in the knee.

There wasn't any pain when the needles went in, but about 5 mins in he said "I just have to give them a little twist to stimulate the nerves". My gods! That felt like he'd put a lit match against my leg but it soon abated when he stopped twiddling them.

The accupuncture/physio did work and I had far far less pain from my knee for about 2 years. Last year it started up again but I'd changed jobs so had a different health cover scheme. The new physio did a similar stimulation technique by trying to rip out the back of my knee with her thumbs. I had far more pain from her than the accupuncture! That said, I've had no issues with my knee since the morning after that.
 
Being treated by a physio for a running injury and I have had 2 accupuncture sessions...not sure if it is working yet.
 
If it's hokum, why do private medical insurers pay for it?

I've had it for neck muscles that wouldn't relax, hey presto they did with acupuncture. How can that be a placebo?
 
gillywibble said:
If it's hokum, why do private medical insurers pay for it?

I've had it for neck muscles that wouldn't relax, hey presto they did with acupuncture. How can that be a placebo?
Click to expand...

I read a journal about a blind test done using keyhole surgery for scar tissue build up on knee ligaments. Half the patients had the usual surgery, the other half had an incision done, but were then stitched up with no surgery having been carried out.

The half that had the fake surgery reported much better results than the half that had the real surgery. The end result was the same, but the fake surgery patients didn't have to wait weeks for their knee to heel so were happier faster.

The whole point of a placebo is you believe that the treatment is effective, therefore when you receive it you believe that it has helped. What you're describing sounds like a perfect example of a placebo.
 
SO if the ones that had nothing done still ended up better does that not prove the healing powers of the mind, in which case the whole hokum tihngs falls on its arse, its all to do with positive energy and all that sort of stuff, in which case surely anything that works, works, for whatever reason lol..
 
Trig said:
SO if the ones that had nothing done still ended up better does that not prove the healing powers of the mind, in which case the whole hokum tihngs falls on its arse, its all to do with positive energy and all that sort of stuff, in which case surely anything that works, works, for whatever reason lol..
Click to expand...

Nothing is proven in the scientific world! What it does, though, is suggest that the placebo effect can be just as powerful as standard medical treatments in certain instances.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom