The diversity of opinions in the Chiropractors & Chiropractic Care thread got me wondering if folks here have had acupuncture. I know little about it. My initial thought is that it might work for pain blocking, but cannot have any repairing/healing benefit beyond that. I have noticed that acupuncture is a covered benefit in some number of pet insurance policies, but that topic threatens to derail my own thread before I've even posted it. So what do you think? Have you ever had acupuncture, or do you know someone who has? Do you think there's "science" behind it, or is the best you can hope for the placebo effect?
I’ve never had it myself but I’ve talked to too many people who have had success with it. Then I tell myself the placebo effect is pretty effective too. I really haven’t looked into it much but am of the belief, right now, that there is something to it. A very respected scientist at the NIH was telling me about an acupuncturist colleague who was working with some folks at the NIH to try to further understand aspects of it.
Yes! I have had it several times in different areas about 15 years ago. It didn't help with my nerve condition or back problems. The thing that helped me the most was clinical hypnosis and it still makes my pains tolerable. I have known at least two ladies that had Daith piercing done to their ears and it relieved their migraines. They also had the little rings installed. I would not recommend anyone try acupuncture for Trigeminal Neuralgia. That was pure torture and on par with the MS testing where they stuck a long needle in my sciatic nerve and ran electricity through it.
#1: That sucks, so I could not bring myself to "Like" your comment. OUCH! #2: The hypnosis thing is interesting because of a video I saw of Buddhist monks and how they were about to control their metabolisms. They were somewhere cold taking bathes and were able to make steam rise off of the towels they wrapped around themselves. I fear there are too many distractions in our lives to tap in to a fraction of a percent of our bodies' powers. You gotta live in isolated conditions for a long period of time before you could even start.
That is why in times past I have suggested that this forum adds other positive emotions such as love, like, haha, and sad, but just like my other suggestions, it met a quick death. It is time consuming to respond to all the post one might want to and the lack of an emotion that is quick to hit, may leave the poster feeling like they are being ignored. Thanks for your response John. At least I know you read my post.
It works, but not a one time thing. I have had some treatments over the years, even bought my own needles and did my own acupuncture. One just has to do it OFTEN and there are results. My daughter is currently having acupncture on her cipro damaged feet and she is now having a treatment every other week, and also taking the Methylene Blue MB. Her feet are so damaged from the Cipro which is loaded with Fluorides as are all in that class of abx drugs...
I have seen it done when I was in Japan. I knew a lady with rheumatoid arthritis, and the acupuncturist would visit every two weeks to relieve the pain. The relief lasted for two weeks or a little over for each treatment, so I don't think it was just placebo at work. I asked what training she had, and she told me that she had been in school for 5 years to learn the art, but that she couldn't work in the U.S. because she didn't have an "M.D." after her name. She was sad that acupuncture here is represented by docs who took a few week course and were considered competent when they didn't really understand the basis for it. It is based on energy meridians in the body, but Americans always want to make it about the nervous system. It has nothing to do with nerves. I had her try it on me, but I don't know what she "cured". I just wanted to see what it felt like, but the needles were completely painless. I believe it is very difficult to receive good acupuncture in the U.S. I remember U.S. doctors being totally amazed during the initial visits to China during the Nixon Administration when they witnessed abdominal surgery being performed with no anesthesia other than acupuncture and the patient was fully awake but pain free. Would you want to try that with American acupuncturists? Not me!
Nothing like having it done professionally, just lay with those "fine" needles on your body, fall asleep, tne therapist will adjust the needles as they do. It's kist finding the person who is high qualified and that could be in a clinic or a one person practice. After my hip replacement in 2010, and before I realized how much shorter my right leg and foot are now, I was in a lot of pain for being so lop sided on right side from surgery....I am 3 inches shorter than I've been in my life. I have bought Peace Classic "fine gauge" needles and followed directions from online info and remembering how the doc and therapist did it. A rheumatologist I saw after hip job, did acupuncture. She is a very unique doctor and I was running out of money and insurance help. Today with all the wild inflation, the prices are WORSE than ever. My daughter is paying $175 a session and her children help her financially to do them. Talk about inflation on Everything, my friend brought me a container of very tasty tuna salad from whole foods today and the container cost me $11.75, I'm relishing it.
Your comment Ken reminds me of something my father would have said. On the couple occasions he flew to CA to see a couple football games with his Steelers he would say "they are all crazy out there". His mind was so sealed shut, so shut tight.
I once heard that California was like a bowl of granola. What ain't fruits is nuts. I just looked on the web. There are lots of acupuncturists in Charlottesville VA (over 30) and a ton more in Richmond. Some have Asian names, but many do not.
I sure do disagree with him -- his mind stayed closed and boxed and I went west and had a life I would have never had if I had stayed back there. He was not strange, but a sick alcoholic who functioned in his work but "they're all crazy as he would say"...bless him and trust he's resting in peace and dry. I always thought "he should not be a father"... His kids didn't have a father but a ruler.