Acupuncture./Alternative medicine.Any good?

[scorcher]

Anybody had acupuncture for a bad back and felt a whole lot better for it or is it a load of old twaddle?Currently suffering lower back pain and general stiffness across the shoulder and neck.Backs been knackered for about 15 years now due to a car accident but at the mo its the worst its ever been.Seen a Chiropractor over the years and that has helped but he hasn't been able to do anything for me this time so thought I might try something else.Any thoughts ?

[eccles]

not strictly what you're after, but i've just had acupuncture on my tennis elbow and it really helped it. it seems its not really alternative anymore, as it was just about the first thing they tried when i went for physio (on the NHS).
so i'd definately recommend it.

[aldi]

My partner was involved with an alternative therapies clinic and IMO It's all psychological at best but hey, if it works for you then that's great.

The only bit of alternative medicine I don't like is where desperate and vulnerable people end up paying out thousands to shysters, but I don't think a bit of accupuncture does anyone any harm.

[dinkel]

I had acupuncture and it was bloody amazing . . . energy boost and 'body feel' . . .

[GetCarter]

Sounds like you need massage and manipulation not Acupuncture.

And anyone that calls acupuncture twaddle, hasn't had it! The only thing is, even the people that do it have no idea (really) how it works, so it's all a bit 'prick and miss'.

[rich1231]

GetCarter said:

Sounds like you need massage and manipulation not Acupuncture. And anyone that calls acupuncture twaddle, hasn't had it! The only thing is, even the people that do it have no idea (really) how it works, so it's all a bit 'prick and miss'.

I had it for back pain a couple of years ago and it was useless.

[apache]

dinkel said:

I had acupuncture and it was bloody amazing . . . energy boost and 'body feel' . . .

ditto, alternative medicine tends to cure a problem rather than treat a symptom which I find a logical way to look at things

[grahamw48]

I once stood on a 3" nail, and received an instant energy boost.

Nearly shot through the garage roof.

[aldi]

GetCarter said:

Sounds like you need massage and manipulation not Acupuncture. And anyone that calls acupuncture twaddle, hasn't had it! The only thing is, even the people that do it have no idea (really) how it works, so it's all a bit 'prick and miss'.

I've got a theory that its just a kind of meditation, to clear and concentrate the mind and relax the body and the pins thing is kind of incidental. I'm not saying it's rubbish or twaddle, cause I do beleive you when you say it makes you feel ace and if it makes you feel ace then by any measure it's working fine.

[ATG]

apache said:

ditto, alternative medicine tends to cure a problem rather than treat a symptom which I find a logical way to look at things

Are you sure ? Next time your appendix swells up, would you prefer homeopathy and accupuncture or surgery and antibiotics?

[ulakye]

http://skepdic.com/tialtmed.html

Everything you need to know about alternative medicine including what evidence base exists (if any).

[klassiekerrally]

My father specially went from the Netherlands to London every now and then for acupuncture (by Dr. Sio I believe).
Helped him get rid of terrible headaches.

[GetCarter]

rich1231 said:

GetCarter said: Sounds like you need massage and manipulation not Acupuncture. And anyone that calls acupuncture twaddle, hasn't had it! The only thing is, even the people that do it have no idea (really) how it works, so it's all a bit 'prick and miss'. I had it for back pain a couple of years ago and it was useless.

Which is why I said "Sounds like you need massage and manipulation not Acupuncture."

[dinkel]

It helped getting my wife pregnant. Who both got the needles.

Dare you who makes a joke . . . it's a rerious thingy.

[penryar]

I'm usually a big sceptic on anything alternative, but a few years back the girl I lived with persuaded me to let her try her acupuncture out on me. Not for any specific reason, just as an energy boost thing, totally amazing experience, and I changed from being a sceptic to a believer in 30 minutes. Mind you she was a qualified senior NHS Physio , which required a full on university degree , and she practiced the old style of acupunture. I believe she was even alowed to use acupunture on some of her patients on the NHS.

As with all things, the effectiveness of the treatment will depend on the competence of the person doing it.

[Pigeon]

Acupuncture is about the only form of "alternative medicine" that I have any time for, because it works on animals - see "Zoovet" by David Taylor, who is a vet who works in zoos (surprise surprise).