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Does acupuncture actually work ?


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My daughter claims it does. She has a shoulder problem that despite surgery still gives her some problems. The only thing she's found that helps is acupuncture.

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It helps, but it is not a sure fire panacea for all ills , and it sure as hell is not magic that heals with a couple of pricks ... usually it takes months at a time depending on the body's state of wear and tear because technically it is helping the body heal itself ... through balancing and reactivating the nerve systems that interconnects the various parts of the body ... 

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I remember seeing studies that acupuncture is as "effective" as acupressure. Buy a bag of gravel, disperse it on the flat surface, and lie on it. That will save $$$, and quite substantially.

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Yeah, I am kind of on the fence when it comes to acupuncture. Just because something has been done for a thousand years or so doesn't mean it is useful.

People will keep doing the same thing simply because it is popular.

I don't mean to say  acupuncture is useless or a placebo; I underwent several sessions myself a few years ago. Though the results were next to nil, it could very well be that that something else needed treatment with it.

I don't know, I hear reports from both sides; some saying it is effective and the other side claiming it is nothing more than a placebo. Just because it did not produce results for me doesn't necessarily mean it is useless.Like I said, maybe something else was a little out of whack and needed a different set of acupuncture treatments...who knows.

I will admit I do not understand acupuncture all that well but I also do not accept the near mystical way acupuncture is presented. I prefer a realistic explanation rather than mystical terminology.

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Or those pebble mats for home use

ReflexologyMats.jpg

helps with the circulation especially in these days and age where the nerves in the feet are almost made atrophied from so little activity ~

Though acupuncture is highly specialized and is readily recommended these days even among the highly professional medical practitioners, except the specialists of course ... they in it for the profits so every little hypochondriac that can pay is that little bonus at the end of the day .

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13 minutes ago, third_eye said:

Though acupuncture is highly specialized and is readily recommended these days even among the highly professional medical practitioners, except the specialists of course ... they in it for the profits so every little hypochondriac that can pay is that little bonus at the end of the day .

The same sentiments can be easily applied in regards to many medical treatments too.

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1 minute ago, Ryu said:

The same sentiments can be easily applied in regards to many medical treatments too.

I will disagree ... most times a lot of the current ailments does not require the heavy regimental procedures that is common as the basic entry point at most major Hospitals ... point being it is the result of cost cutting for maximised profits ... so if you needed something light and simple you have no choice but to go through the full works even if what you really require is just a two step of the full course ... but of course you have to pay for the full course ~

Look ... there is really nothing to believe or not ... it is just a matter of expectations ... if you really think that something that doesn't work or is totally bunk can be relied and depended upon for thousands or years till this very day then there really is very little else that can be said to sway such opinion any other way ...

~

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Any "treatment" that relies on belief in order for it to "work" should automatically be viewed with and treated as a fraud and/or hoax.

Like I said earlier, lots of "medical treatments"  have been done for hundreds of years, that doesn't necessarily mean it is valid. Anecdote is not a reliable indicator of success.

No beliefs, wishes or faith. Either it works or it doesn't. Period.

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Well ... all good and fine ... it has been working fine for thousands of years and not for you then ... tough luck

~

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3 hours ago, third_eye said:

Well ... all good and fine ... it has been working fine for thousands of years and not for you then ... tough luck

~

I want proof that acupuncture is a legitimate procedure that actually produces results that exist outside of anecdotes, wishful thinking and placebo effects. I really don't care if something has been done for "thousands of years" because that claim has been so over-used and misused that it means nothing to me.

That "thousands of years" mantra has been chanted far too often, let's see some real, unbiased research to demonstrate the supposed effectiveness of acupuncture.

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My only experience with it was when I was in treatment for alcoholism.  We had sessions a couple of times a week for stress relief and no matter how wound up I was when I began, I was completely relaxed, even sleepy when it was finished.  The pins were placed in my ear lobe as I recall.  

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17 hours ago, Ryu said:

I want proof that acupuncture is a legitimate procedure that actually produces results that exist outside of anecdotes, wishful thinking and placebo effects. I really don't care if something has been done for "thousands of years" because that claim has been so over-used and misused that it means nothing to me.

That "thousands of years" mantra has been chanted far too often, let's see some real, unbiased research to demonstrate the supposed effectiveness of acupuncture.

What do you define as 'proof' and 'research' ?

Just to appease you because you don't believe ?

So what does it matter ... all I can say is that it will never work for you ... no matter how or what ... just best you stop wasting your time ~

Just saying Acupuncture as a form or remedy has nothing more to prove to you or anyone else ... its not some obscure primitive procedure and not only is it wide spread but is still being practiced on a day to day basis from all those years ago till today.

If you think people, or more specifically Asian people are that stupid, then your intelligence matters for very little ~

~

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I would like to try it one day, is it expensive?

As for it working or not, I think everyone's body and metabolism, etc are different. Same as a certain diet will work for one person while it won't work for another maybe acupuncture can help some and not others.

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Just now, skliss said:

I would like to try it one day, is it expensive?

As for it working or not, I think everyone's body and metabolism, etc are different. Same as a certain diet will work for one person while it won't work for another maybe acupuncture can help some and not others.

depends on what you are expecting from it ... always visit recognized affiliates ... if you're in the US look here ACAOM link

If elsewhere look up the accredited practitioners ... if recommended by someone always check for their listings and don't rely only on reputation ... there are some that is specialised on certain specific ailments (such as female/women specific) as is there are those that is only general practitioners ...

~

 

 

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27 minutes ago, third_eye said:

depends on what you are expecting from it ... always visit recognized affiliates ... if you're in the US look here ACAOM link

If elsewhere look up the accredited practitioners ... if recommended by someone always check for their listings and don't rely only on reputation ... there are some that is specialised on certain specific ailments (such as female/women specific) as is there are those that is only general practitioners ...

~

 

 

Thank you. My reason is a disc in my lower back that pops every once in a while. The muscles in that area tighten and then "pull" the disc out of place. I thought maybe acupuncture could result in a faster recovery OR help keep them loosened in general.

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Just now, skliss said:

Thank you. My reason is a disc in my lower back that pops every once in a while. The muscles in that area tighten and then "pull" the disc out of place. I thought maybe acupuncture could result in a faster recovery OR help keep them loosened in general.

Not exactly sure what you mean by pops but I think acupuncture can help ease the discomfort and maybe the wushu chiropractors is what you should be looking for ... in Chinese we calls them tie da yi ... literally beat/iron doctors ...

~

~

I'm not sure how dated this directory is but its something referred to me by my TCM physician ... link

~ good luck

 

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1 minute ago, skliss said:

I've literally heard a "pop". Thanks for the info I will look into it. : )

No worries ...

One thing to add if you do decide to look up a TCM ... be honest about whatever prescription drugs you are on , especially pain killers ... from what I understand those medication and TCM don't go together too well ... best you make an effort to detox or at least not be on the effects when you visit ... if you are then at least let the Sinseh (TCM Doctor)  know about it

~

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17 hours ago, third_eye said:

What do you define as 'proof' and 'research' ?

Just to appease you because you don't believe ?

So what does it matter ... all I can say is that it will never work for you ... no matter how or what ... just best you stop wasting your time ~

Just saying Acupuncture as a form or remedy has nothing more to prove to you or anyone else ... its not some obscure primitive procedure and not only is it wide spread but is still being practiced on a day to day basis from all those years ago till today.

If you think people, or more specifically Asian people are that stupid, then your intelligence matters for very little ~

~

I simply want evidence that it works just as I would want evidence that any other treatment works before I spend my money on it.

Furthermore it is not my intent to insinuate that Asians are ignorant, I simply think that time is not really a reliable indicator that something is useful. I am sorry you feel slighted but in this day we are so awash with millions of claims, most of which are questionable, I cannot afford to let myself be hoodwinked by those looking to profit off of other peoples lack of knowledge.

11 hours ago, skliss said:

Thank you. My reason is a disc in my lower back that pops every once in a while. The muscles in that area tighten and then "pull" the disc out of place. I thought maybe acupuncture could result in a faster recovery OR help keep them loosened in general.

Wow, sounds painful. Third_Eye is quite right. You need to see a chiropractor about this because there may be another vertabrea out of alignment that is putting pressure on nerves and muscles. Were you in a accident at one time or had a herniated disc?

Hope you get that healed up. My father had a herniated disc earlier this year and it was definitely not fun for him. He was quite sore for a few months.

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15 minutes ago, Ryu said:

I simply want evidence that it works just as I would want evidence that any other treatment works before I spend my money on it.

No problem ... like I said what do mean by evidence ?

Even if you go to a Physician today, any practitioner of any field of medication and ask for 'evidence' and see what sort of response you get ... at best they'll assure you of the procedure or medication is common or simple, run of the mill, has high success rates, but to offer you evidence before treating you for whatever ailments you have is beyond anybody, regardless of whatever field of medicine it is ... you see my point ?

 

15 minutes ago, Ryu said:

Furthermore it is not my intent to insinuate that Asians are ignorant, I simply think that time is not really a reliable indicator that something is useful. I am sorry you feel slighted but in this day we are so awash with millions of claims, most of which are questionable, I cannot afford to let myself be hoodwinked by those looking to profit off of other peoples lack of knowledge.

~snip

Fine, I apologise if I come across as harsh, but your manner of questioning does leave little leeway for politeness.

I'll say this much ... you'll have to apply faith when approaching any kind of medical help ... doesn't matter who or what or how.
If the doctor says this and you don't believe it and goes about your own way about how best to heal yourself like what JC says ... 'heal thyself' ... then no medicine on earth will help.

If the Doctors says take this pill and you don't have faith in them, will it help even if you take them as prescribed ?

I do wonder ... depends on the ailments I guess ... unless you have 'faith' in them and follow instructions you'll never get any sort of evidence, what works for me might not be as satisfactorily effective for you ~

As for acupuncture, actually the problem is people expects too much ... they tend to think its magic and mystical powers ... and when its not as magical as they expects they automatically accuse as hoax and frauds ... compounded by the language barriers it makes matters worse .. so I'll still offer you the same words of advice ...

It will never work for you because of your expectations ... so best you not waste your time or money ... and I mean that without malice or spite ~

It is just what it is ... some thing's are not meant to be ... I guess ...

~

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10 hours ago, third_eye said:

As for acupuncture, actually the problem is people expects too much ... they tend to think its magic and mystical powers ... and when its not as magical as they expects they automatically accuse as hoax and frauds ... compounded by the language barriers it makes matters worse .. so I'll still offer you the same words of advice ...

It will never work for you because of your expectations ... so best you not waste your time or money ... and I mean that without malice or spite ~

It is just what it is ... some thing's are not meant to be ... I guess ...

~

That is my issue. I don't have faith in the medical arena. So much deliberate misinformation and much of what passes as "medicine" is just to line the pockets of the doctors and pharmaceutical companies.

I am a very skeptical person and because our society is so dismally awash with said misinformation I have learned to take every claim with a grain of salt.

I really do not think I expected much of treatments as I know, as with any treatments, they can only go so far, it requires effort on the part of the recipient such as dietary changes, lifestyle adjustments and so on.

To me the term "energies" is useless unless someone can explain exactly what "energies" are being referred to and how and why the needles are supposed to affect the weak electrical field created by the body. If meridians exist then how is pressing on an area of your foot supposed to affect an organ that is about as removed from the foot as a zucchini is from a marshmallow. (well, you get the idea). How is lining my forehead and parts of my arms supposed to affect my spleen? I guess this is what I mean by evidence. Don't just tell me stuff, explain it, show me in real terms what it does.

Perhaps the acupuncture I underwent was treating the wrong area, maybe my issues were caused by something else, I really don't know but I do know I did not enter it with any expectations, either it had results or it did not.

I don't want fancy terms like "spleen energy" or something..I want to know what is being affected, how it affects the body and the hows and whys' of how the needles are supposed to affect these "energy" lines.

 

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2 hours ago, Ryu said:

That is my issue. I don't have faith in the medical arena. So much deliberate misinformation and much of what passes as "medicine" is just to line the pockets of the doctors and pharmaceutical companies.

I am a very skeptical person and because our society is so dismally awash with said misinformation I have learned to take every claim with a grain of salt.

I really do not think I expected much of treatments as I know, as with any treatments, they can only go so far, it requires effort on the part of the recipient such as dietary changes, lifestyle adjustments and so on.

I know what you mean ... and sorry I have no such answers ~ much apologies ~ my mantra is also 'prevention is better than a cure ... any cure'

 

2 hours ago, Ryu said:

 

To me the term "energies" is useless unless someone can explain exactly what "energies" are being referred to and how and why the needles are supposed to affect the weak electrical field created by the body. If meridians exist then how is pressing on an area of your foot supposed to affect an organ that is about as removed from the foot as a zucchini is from a marshmallow. (well, you get the idea). How is lining my forehead and parts of my arms supposed to affect my spleen? I guess this is what I mean by evidence. Don't just tell me stuff, explain it, show me in real terms what it does.

Everything is connected in your body ... and at times the ailment in one part is due to the problem along the nerves being blocked somewhere, for instance your shoulder may be hurting because the nerves at your lower back may be impeded due to poor posture or pressure from your seat or chair ~ relieving the pressure there will clear the shoulder pain effectively because  if you just deal with the shoulder, the source of the problem which is the lower back will still be contributing to the problem in the future ~ hence 'pressure points' or junctions ... your body has to circulate , if the circulation is poor then all sorts of ailments will surface ~ and if the source of the problem is not dealt with then the problem will persist ~ so when you say your spleen here and the forehead and the arms, the disconnectedness is there so the point is to help your body focus on the spleen through that connection ~ by using the needles to kick start your body's reaction ... look acupuncture is a form of science ... as long as you don;t see it that way nothing will make sense ~ least of all if you focus on the language by using Western definitions ... energy is just what it is ... not some mathematical function or theorem formula .... when you move you use force .. when you sit still you use force ... that's all that it is ~

 

2 hours ago, Ryu said:

Perhaps the acupuncture I underwent was treating the wrong area, maybe my issues were caused by something else, I really don't know but I do know I did not enter it with any expectations, either it had results or it did not.

I don't want fancy terms like "spleen energy" or something..I want to know what is being affected, how it affects the body and the hows and whys' of how the needles are supposed to affect these "energy" lines.

 

Maybe you gave the Doctors/Sinseh the wrong impression or feed back ...and its not an 'instantaneous' remedy ... those stories are usually the rare moments when all certain conditions are met ... normally it takes time , at least a few sessions for the body to adjust to the process ~

~ I've been relying on it all my life ... when I had my 'accident' earlier this year ... I went to the hospital for antibiotics and Xrays ... because that's where the effective treatments were , I was given pain killers but I didn't want them and the Doc said 'just in case' ... when I returned for my reassessment the Doc was surprised .... normally old coots my age would have taken half a year at best to heal to the state that I was ... I did it in less than two months ~ and I returned the pain killers to her untouched ~ because I went back to what was effective for me .. acupuncture and herbal medicine ~ which was my choice ~

The choice is entirely up to you but as far as things goes I don' t think TCM will live up to your expectations even when you say you have none ~

Image(553).jpg

Just look at my wonderful foot now ... permanent scar and all :lol:

~

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