Anyone had acupuncture ?

TTony

My physio does acupuncture sometimes - when she thinks it's appropriate.

It works in that it encourages me to do more of the exercises that she prescribes, just so that I don't have to have the acupuncture again.

Is it real or snakeoil?

That probably depends on the cause of the problem that its being used to treat.  

If you've just had your leg sawn off, acupuncture is unlikely to be able to remediate that - you're going to need some surgery.  

If you've just picked up an odd tropical disease, then again acupuncture is unlikely to be able to fight that off - you're going to need some drugs.

If you're suffering from something muscular or nerve related, then acupuncture might work in the way that it stimulates other natural responses in you body.

If you're suffering from something more mental in origin, then acupuncture might work, as long as you believe that it could - in the same way that any treatment might work as long as you believe that it could.

rlw

Had it several times for specific leg and back pain - it works.

Several million Chinese are unlikely to be fooled all the time...........

lloyd

rlw said:

Had it several times for specific leg and back pain - it works.

Several million Chinese are unlikely to be fooled all the time...........

Apart from the Tigers cock eating for virility of course.....

octatonic

rlw said:

Had it several times for specific leg and back pain - it works.

Several million Chinese are unlikely to be fooled all the time...........

LOL.

lloyd said:

Apart from the Tigers cock eating for virility of course.....

Precisely.

Hootsmon

yup....friendly policeman sorted it out though

Sambostar

octatonic said:

It doesn't work beyond being a theatrical placebo.

https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/acupuncture-doesnt-work/

Not entirely true though.  There are nerve connections that are basically common to most apart from those of Scottish descent and acupuncture can make relieve some pain at the best of times.

For example you may experience tooth or jaw ache as a symptom of Angina and when I scratch my arse with an old hairbrush (A method I first devised as an eight year old in order to rid myself of continual threadworm infestations to avoid the vomit inducing raspberry worming powder mixer) it actually does settle my heart rate slightly.

menamestom

I find it works 100% of the time for things that were going to get better on their own anyway.

octatonic

Sambostar said:

octatonic said:

It doesn't work beyond being a theatrical placebo.

https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/acupuncture-doesnt-work/

Not entirely true though.  There are nerve connections that are basically common to most apart from those of Scottish descent and acupuncture can make relieve some pain at the best of times.

For example you may experience tooth or jaw ache as a symptom of Angina and when I scratch my arse with an old hairbrush (A method I first devised as an eight year old in order to rid myself of continual threadworm infestations to avoid the vomit inducing raspberry worming powder mixer) it actually does settle my heart rate slightly.

Evidence?

menamestom

rlw;1106189" said:

Had it several times for specific leg and back pain - it works.



Several million Chinese are unlikely to be fooled all the time...........

Anecdote + Appeal to tradition ≠ Data

Sambostar

octatonic said:

Sambostar said:

octatonic said:

It doesn't work beyond being a theatrical placebo.

https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/acupuncture-doesnt-work/

Not entirely true though.  There are nerve connections that are basically common to most apart from those of Scottish descent and acupuncture can make relieve some pain at the best of times.

For example you may experience tooth or jaw ache as a symptom of Angina and when I scratch my arse with an old hairbrush (A method I first devised as an eight year old in order to rid myself of continual threadworm infestations to avoid the vomit inducing raspberry worming powder mixer) it actually does settle my heart rate slightly.

Evidence?

You want photos of me scratching my arse with an old  hairbrush?

Seriously?  OK then..

http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v198/n11/full/4812380a.html

What I hate are those home inflatable blood pressure measurer things that self inflate around your arms.  They self pressure up automatically.  I tried one once and almost went into cardiac arrest due to the pressure on my arm and not having any body fat.

Emp are you drinking enough, moving about enough from a bad chair etc etc?

Sambostar

I think there is an artery that connects your anus to your heart and your heart to your jaw, it what allows us to talk shit.

But seriously Elvis died of a heart attack on the toilet, it makes sense to me, it's simple science, depending on how you are personally rooted.  As I say most Homo sapiens are rooted with the same network, but some Scot's are rooted slightly differently.  I think it's the Neanderthal gene.

It's also probably why they invented Aids, otherwise homosexuals who enjoyed sex would live forever and that couldn't be tolerated in a Protestant or Catholic society.

octatonic

Reminds me of the Carlin quote (borrowing from Twain):

“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.”

http://images.cryhavok.org/d/22899-1/Bro+Do+You+Even+Science_.png

Sambostar

I wanted to do GSCE Biology but was forced out at 16 because I passed the 11 plus and went to Grammar school and the curriculum clashed, the Council and the government were wanting to close the school so they were short on funds and the main teaches were a bunch of obsequious wankers.  Meanwhile my mates in Comp got all the latest computers, whilst we inherited their BBC's.  I left at 16 despite getting straight A's with no effort because they were a bunch of cunts and the bottom line was either I leave or they would force me to leave.  Sixth form benders.  All the brainy kids left at 16.

Here you can quite clearly see the arteries to the anus and the jaw

lloyd

Those are pictures that prove all arteries link to the heart, it's a closed system so all arteries will link to them all no?

Sambostar

Shhhhh

rlw

menamestom said:

rlw;1106189" said:

Had it several times for specific leg and back pain - it works.



Several million Chinese are unlikely to be fooled all the time...........

Anecdote + Appeal to tradition ≠ Data

Had dreadful pain in the lower back and legs on and off for months.  Tried drugs (killed the pain), drink (ditto), a combination of both (ditto +), chiropractor and osteopath (no noticeable effect) and finally acupuncture which made it go away after three sessions, never, yet, to return.

Why shouldn't it work?  For backs and the like, at least, I can see a definite connection between the cause of the pain and the cure - nerves, muscles and stimulation.  I wouldn't use it for toothache but I'm assured that it can work by more than one person who is quite rational.  Nor do I think it will cure cancer but, as they say, the leg bone's connected to the thighbone etc etc.

So there.

rlw

octatonic said:

rlw said:

Had it several times for specific leg and back pain - it works.

Several million Chinese are unlikely to be fooled all the time...........

LOL.

lloyd said:

Apart from the Tigers cock eating for virility of course.....

Precisely.

While I don't approve in the slightest, has anyone conducted specific experiments to disprove the idea?

And I can see why it might work but purely on a pyschological basis - I eat the cock of a big fierce animal and I become like him.  It's a bit like beer making you more atrractive to women.

Sambostar

rlw said:

It's a bit like beer making you more atrractive to women.

Really?  I'm on to a winner there then.

octatonic

rlw said:

octatonic said:

rlw said:

Had it several times for specific leg and back pain - it works.

Several million Chinese are unlikely to be fooled all the time...........

LOL.

lloyd said:

Apart from the Tigers cock eating for virility of course.....

Precisely.

While I don't approve in the slightest, has anyone conducted specific experiments to disprove the idea?

Have a read of this:

https://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/what-is-traditional-chinese-medicine/

TCM is quite simply nonsense- it is as scientific as astrology.

The western equivalent is using leeches to cure illnesses, or blood letting.

Emp_Fab

Now, I'm not one to believe quackery in general, and I'm fairly convinced that acupuncture is probably nonsense.  However... my belief or otherwise is tempered by the fact that we do not know everything about the body.  Assuming that our current understanding of biology and medicine is the pinnacle of what it will ever be is arrogant in the extreme.