Accupuncture is more than just placebo

[Bil Gee]

Chi isn't really my thing, but I found this article on the BBC news site quite interesting.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4493011.stm

[Kwajman]

I'd love to try acupuncture....

[jroe52]

hehe i imagine it works or people wouldnt do it.

[reikislapper]

The guy in the picture looks crazy to do something like that,have you seen the size of the needles. I can't believe that people pay for someone to put them in and then, call it healing lol. As you can tell I have a problem with needles and I've got loads of friends which are trying to get me to have a acupuncture session to get over my fear but I'm way too nervous to even go for one lol. I didn't mind having my nipple pierced as it was really small and I didn't see the ring going in at the time lol so I'm fine with that one. I don't mind acupressure either as it's not done with the really big needles in acupuncture.
All I want to know is how can a massive needle like the ones in the photo work as they seen to go in very deep. How can you not feel any pain when they are that big, can anyone tell me please?.
lisa xx

[moononthewater]

You only feel a bit of pain on the initial entry after that its just a dull ache, My one tip try it on a warm day the skin will find it easier on a cold day it is more painful.

[nzric]

It really worked when I tried it (for digestion problems).

I've got a problem with needles too, but as long as you don't look down and see the needles sticking out of you, it should be ok.

You don't really feel anything at all when they go in (just under the skin, not far). When they heat them up there can be some localised tingling/ache, but it's not bad.

http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22563

[Drunken Miss Ho]

Acupuncture has done wonders for my sinus problems, I can literally feel my breath deepen a few minutes after the needles are placed. And the needles don't hurt at all, the part that sucks is not being able to move that much for thirty to forty minutes, but you get used to it, and it's the best thing you can do for your well being.
Also- I'm a total sissy when it comes to needles or anything like that. I'm incredibly queasy having blood drawn or getting shots, I pretty much refuse to have them done. I also had some piercings when I was younger (and tattoos) and acupuncture is so much easier to handle, it's not even comparable. I don't even flinch when the needles are placed and they're much smaller than they seem. They're not placed that deep either. Usually you have to get one treatment a week for starters. I got so addicted to the way it makes me feel, I'm sad now that my treatments are being spaced out more. And you will have a major energy boost. I'm so happy legit studies like this are being done, to finally shut up all the naysayers.

Kwajman- Go ahead and get it done, you'll be happy you did. Just make sure the practitioner you choose is accredited, there are some crooks out there. I'd be happy to give you more info or find a list of accredited practitioners in your area for you.

[Drunken Miss Ho]

Here are links to the three major governing bodies of acupuncture in the US

http://www.nccaom.org/
http://www.acupuncturealliance.org/

http://www.aaom.org/

they should all have a "find an acupuncturist" link on them

[Ren-shi-shin]

I forked out $400 for a series of treatments. It never worked for me. The accupuncturist just shrugged and said, "Well, it works for some people, but not for all people."

[Drunken Miss Ho]

I forked out $400 for a series of treatments. It never worked for me. The accupuncturist just shrugged and said, "Well, it works for some people, but not for all people."
IMO, You should be able to tell if it works after the first treatment. If you don't notice a dramatic difference right away (during the first treatment and the next day), find another acupuncturist, or don't do it at all. It also depends on your illness. For things like sinus and digestion issues, the results are immediate. For things like depression or elbow pain, it might not do so well. If acupuncture was regarded as legitimate medicine, there would be more measures in place to prevent people like Ren-shi-shin from getting ripped off. And be wary of the MD who offers acupuncture; they need only a small fraction of the training an acupuncturist does to get certified.

[slipthejab]

err.. the article didn't give conclusive proof that acupunture works. :eek:

Because something makes the BBC doesn't mean that's proof.

Look at the contrary qoutes right on the same page. :eek:

When it comes to looking for 'proof' as in medically accepted proof the publishing is usually done in peer review journals. Not the mass media.

If your really interested to find out how acupuncture has faired in scientific studies I suggest you do some research on JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) or other such credible peer review journals.

[Drunken Miss Ho]

No, it only points to acupuncture doing something different than a placebo. Unfortunately there haven't been enough legit studies on acupuncture to prove scientifically if it works or not. This is a step in the right direction though. It would be nice if they took those placebo needles and performed a study involving several people who all had the same or similar illnesses and gave some of them real acupuncture and some of them the fake needles. If this were done on people who had trouble breathing, it would be quite easy to measure the breath of people before and after the treatment.

[Wax]

When working in a warehouse a few years ago I seriously injured my back. Two weeks of physio every two days did nothing. I noticed that my physio also did acupuncture and asked if it would be good. She said that some people benefit and some people don't, but she could put in under a physio session for work cover.

After the first session I could stand up straight again. Three days later I had another and returned to work the next day. After four sessions my back was better than ever.

After my girl buggered her knees in a motorbike accident I reccomended it and she showed improvement in a week that 6 weeks of physio didn't achieve. I'd reccomend that people try it, see if it works for them.

[rtkd-badger]

The guy in the picture looks crazy to do something like that,have you seen the size of the needles. I can't believe that people pay for someone to put them in and then, call it healing lol. As you can tell I have a problem with needles and I've got loads of friends which are trying to get me to have a acupuncture session to get over my fear but I'm way too nervous to even go for one lol. I didn't mind having my nipple pierced as it was really small and I didn't see the ring going in at the time lol so I'm fine with that one. I don't mind acupressure either as it's not done with the really big needles in acupuncture.
All I want to know is how can a massive needle like the ones in the photo work as they seen to go in very deep. How can you not feel any pain when they are that big, can anyone tell me please?.
lisa xx
I dont think they are that big and they dont go in that deep. I would like to get it done for my sciatica as acupressure seems to give me some relief.
If you can stand getting your nipple pierced :eek: then you should be able to deal with acupuncture. Give it a go, you never know. ;)

[reikislapper]

I dont think they are that big and they dont go in that deep. I would like to get it done for my sciatica as acupressure seems to give me some relief.
If you can stand getting your nipple pierced :eek: then you should be able to deal with acupuncture. Give it a go, you never know. ;)


Thanks Mate !!!!,
Badger, look there's a big difference in the acupuncture and just feeling a tiny bit of pressure going through your right nipple, sorry guys lol.
Anyway seeing that I don't want to be seen a a wimp from the North, I actually didn't see her putting the ring in as I looked away from it lol.
I have got as far as the changing rooms within a acupuncture place but the female staff tried to force me into it and I ended up in a cold sweat and couldn't do it. I do want to try and have a go at acupuncture but I'd have to be able to trust the person first to be able to go through with it.
I don't mind acupressure as I'm always up for a session there lol. I could actually do with one at the moment as I've got a cold shoulder and my left side and it's very painful at the moment. I am doing self healing with the reiki but it's nothing like someone giving a massage on the neck area. They would have a good laugh anyway as my neck is really sensative and I'm really ticklish there so I'd end up in a heap with laughing too much lol. You can imagine what would happen if I had a session with someone in a treatment setting, they would have to put up with the someone who couldn't relax which would be very hard work for them in the first place. I wonder if anyone could find a way round that one lol.
lisa xx

[moononthewater]

Its true acupuncture if your not relaxed can be very painful. As i said berfore if your warm it helps as for relaxation try going through the form in your head. The deepness of penetration with the needles depends on what points are being worked on but to be honest once the needle has gone in you do not notice the depth. If you are really that worried about it stick to Shiatsu, Acupressure or Tui na. If you can find some one maybe ampuku.

[reikislapper]

Its true acupuncture if your not relaxed can be very painful. As i said berfore if your warm it helps as for relaxation try going through the form in your head. The deepness of penetration with the needles depends on what points are being worked on but to be honest once the needle has gone in you do not notice the depth. If you are really that worried about it stick to Shiatsu, Acupressure or Tui na. If you can find some one maybe ampuku.

Look I just want to ask you a couple of questions as I've never heard of Tui na and ampuku.

What is it?
How would it involve as we don't have anyone who does this where I live.
lisa
Thanks
lisa xx

[rtkd-badger]

Thanks Mate !!!!,
Badger, look there's a big difference in the acupuncture and just feeling a tiny bit of pressure going through your right nipple, sorry guys lol.
Anyway seeing that I don't want to be seen a a wimp from the North, I actually didn't see her putting the ring in as I looked away from it lol.
I have got as far as the changing rooms within a acupuncture place but the female staff tried to force me into it and I ended up in a cold sweat and couldn't do it. I do want to try and have a go at acupuncture but I'd have to be able to trust the person first to be able to go through with it.
I don't mind acupressure as I'm always up for a session there lol. I could actually do with one at the moment as I've got a cold shoulder and my left side and it's very painful at the moment. I am doing self healing with the reiki but it's nothing like someone giving a massage on the neck area. They would have a good laugh anyway as my neck is really sensative and I'm really ticklish there so I'd end up in a heap with laughing too much lol. You can imagine what would happen if I had a session with someone in a treatment setting, they would have to put up with the someone who couldn't relax which would be very hard work for them in the first place. I wonder if anyone could find a way round that one lol.
lisa xx
Damn, I cant handle a nipple cripple, let alone have a piercing. Yet I have had more staples than I care to remember, with no pain killers. I have had my head stitched by a mate out in the "bush" with no local. I walked christ knows how far with a spear through my leg after a spearfishing accident and pulled it out myself once we had tools to get the tip off. I have a high pain threshold due to sciatica and constant neck pain for the last, hmmmmm, 15 years. So Lisa I take my hat off to you coz there is no way I would do that and now I see what you are talking about. By the way, did you try the hooch and have you still managed to stay off the smokes? :D

[moononthewater]

Tui na is the type of massage you would have got before shiatsu came along. It still works on Tsubos (pressure points) but tends to be more vigorous and done on bare skin. It was one of the theories that were mingled together to create shiastu though most shiatsu people do not do that strong a massage these days. Tui na was one of the original types of massage along with ampuku. Ampuku was the massage of the hara area working on the internal organs. If you think of the hara area as a large map split up into lots of little counties then each one of those counties relates to a particular organ. The ampuku practitioner would then massage the areas that he felt needed work on. Ampuku was an art in its self and was done as a seperate treatment. It was also used as part of the shiatsu theory. At this point if Mike Flannagan is around and reads this he can probably give you much more detail.

[Drunken Miss Ho]

Thanks Mate !!!!,
Badger, look there's a big difference in the acupuncture and just feeling a tiny bit of pressure going through your right nipple, sorry guys lol.
Anyway seeing that I don't want to be seen a a wimp from the North, I actually didn't see her putting the ring in as I looked away from it lol.

I have had both of mine pierced, as well as my lip, and my ears stretched to 0's. I have long since taken all of them out (except my ears won't close up, dam stupid 18 yr old me!) but I do remember how much it hurt. IMO, Acupuncture is a walk in the park compared to any piercing I've had, they're not even comparable. I think you're problem is all mental, fallentoa, maybe you should try hypnosis first :D Unfortunately they won't let you have a drink first!

[reikislapper]

Damn, I cant handle a nipple cripple, let alone have a piercing. Yet I have had more staples than I care to remember, with no pain killers. I have had my head stitched by a mate out in the "bush" with no local. I walked christ knows how far with a spear through my leg after a spearfishing accident and pulled it out myself once we had tools to get the tip off. I have a high pain threshold due to sciatica and constant neck pain for the last, hmmmmm, 15 years. So Lisa I take my hat off to you coz there is no way I would do that and now I see what you are talking about. By the way, did you try the hooch and have you still managed to stay off the smokes? :D

Hi Badger,
Yes I'm still off the smokes as I'm still on the reiki course and the tutor would see it straight away (just like another teacher lol). I'm still having a battle with it though as I'd have a smoke to stop me getting stressed up and I'm losing on that one as my asthma is playing up through it all so I could really do with a very large one lol. With the drinking I'm also trying to give that one up as well and that's worse than the smoking lol. I will try the hooch though before I finally give up drinking as I'm allowed a last one aren't I lol.
Thanks for asking though
lisa xx

[gerard]

Acupuncture charts online:

http://www.acuxo.com/meridianPictures.asp

[Dr.Syn]

[QUOTE=Wax]After the first session I could stand up straight again. Three days later I had another and returned to work the next day. After four sessions my back was better than ever [QUOTE]

Messed up my back doing squats. One visit and I was good as new..Anytime I injure myself lifting or training I go for a session, best discovery I've ever made.

[reikislapper]

I think you're problem is all mental, fallentoa, maybe you should try hypnosis first :D Unfortunately they won't let you have a drink first![/QUOTE]

The pain factor doesn't bother me at all, it's just the size of those needles they use. They are massive and I'd rather put someone else through it first lol. Anyway I'd still need a drink before hand, I must be exempt from the no drinking rule :D
lisa xx

[rtkd-badger]

I think you're problem is all mental, fallentoa, maybe you should try hypnosis first :D Unfortunately they won't let you have a drink first!

The pain factor doesn't bother me at all, it's just the size of those needles they use. They are massive and I'd rather put someone else through it first lol. Anyway I'd still need a drink before hand, I must be exempt from the no drinking rule :D
lisa xx[/QUOTE]
Lmao, pisshead :D