What are your thoughts on acupuncture? Does it work or is it just quack medicine?

[Houseplanter]

I'm talking so called 'medical' acupuncture that some GPs and physios advocate.

I'm really undecided.. my professional life tells me it's probably unfounded but on the other hand why would something that's been around for thousands of years not have been forgotten if it didn't work?

Has it worked for you?

Yes, has it after a very bad accident,the swelling on my foot went down so dramatically afterwards my toes had wrinkles!

My DH had acupuncture while waiting for a hip replacement and it was amazing. He went from a timetable of pain relief to going 2 weeks between doses overnight. I don't really understand it but it blocks/ rerouted the pain signals getting to the brain somehow. Honestly I would definitely recommend it!

One of my best friends had it as a last resort when trying to conceive as an older mother and two months on… she was pregnant. Personally I think it worked more as a stress reliever for her than anything else and when her body wasn’t in a state of stress it was better hormonally placed to get pregnant. But either way, eight weeks of treatment once a week and she got the outcome she wanted.

My GP does it and it's brilliant. Last time he had a trainee with him, learning to do it. I have a science background.

It fixed my very frozen shoulder in a couple of sessions. I didn’t go in expecting much but it was really good.

I’ve had it for shoulder and neck pain and it was amazing. I don’t know how it works but it does!

My rational brain is sceptical, but for the 3 people I know who have had it, it’s been revolutionary.

It didn't help my back pain, but I think there is an evidence base for it in certain conditions:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/acupuncture/#:~:text=Uses%20of%20acupuncture&text=The%20National%20Institute%20for%20Health,chronic%20tension%2Dtype%20headaches

Things usually only get into the NICE guidelines if there is at least some evidence.

Acupuncture by a medic who has done a short course has been shown to have a beneficial effect.
Acupuncture from someone who has learnt for years is even better as they don’t just randomly stab in the right area, they know exactly where to put the needle and you can definitely feel a difference.
Years ago there was a program that compared alternative medicine and acupuncture showed some really interesting results.

I had a course of about a dozen sessions for a problem that no GP or Consultant had a clue how to deal with.

That was about 10 years ago, and the problem disappeared and has never returned. It was amazing.

I didn't believe it would work but it helped massively with my pf in my foot. It couldn't have been placebo effect as I was quite determined it wouldn't work.

I had it for sciatica a couple of years and it made a huge difference. 82 year old MiL had sciatica last November and was in tears because she was in so much pain, so we booked her two sessions. On NYE she danced until 1am. I'd recommend it to anyone.

It worked for me, years ago when I hurt my shoulder (administered by a vet I worked with who had qualified on horses😂😂).
It was brilliant, I wouldn't hesitate to have it again if I needed to.

I have been going to an osteopath family for over 40 years, now 4th generation.i was nursing over 40 years. They do acupuncture I had it for period pains, sinusitis. My youngest DD for the same. Oldest DD to stop smoking. Youngest DS travel sickness, every time it works.

Moving Swiftly neigh you wouldn't think that would help would you 🤣.

Husband does dry needling as part of his job. He has previously said that there is evidence that it is beneficial in some situations.

I'm sure there are many quacks about, but a good acupuncturist is someone to be treasured.

My first experience with my acupuncturist was 30 years ago, when he stopped me smoking. When I had my first appointment, it was like switching off a light and the cravings disappeared when I left the surgery. I found that I couldn't keep awake over the first weekend, and when I went back on the Monday, I mentioned this to him. He told me that was fairly normal, and he would sort it out. I left with so much energy, I was up until 3 in the morning cleaning the kitchen floor. I've never had a craving for a cigarette since.

I've had back problems for many years, and just over two years ago, I slipped a disc completely. I spent months in complete agony, hardly able to move, and taking huge amounts of prescription painkillers. My chiropractor didn;t really make much of a difference, and actually made the pain worse at times. My TENS machine helped a lot, and I was able to start walking very short distances again. About nine months after I injured myself I had a nerve block injection which didn't work, and have been left in serious pain waiting for surgery every since. For some reason I didn't think to try acupuncture until last October, and found that my acupuncturist who treated me before was still practising. I can't tell you the difference he has made to my back and to my life, to the point where I've reduced my medication significantly and can even go out for short walks without my TENS machine. I started off seeing him twice each week, and this has now reduced to once each fortnight. My practitioner is recognised by the NHS, and has qualifications from many different bodies; he also goes to China regularly to update his skills. My experience really has been amazing and I would recommend a good, qualified acupuncturist to anyone.

Worked incredibly well for me... I had a stillbirth in my previous pregnancy and when my BP started to go up the MW advised me to try. I used to sleep for 12 hours afterwards, it was worth it for that alone. Got all the way to the end with normal BP.

The first time I had acupuncture, it was with a traditional Chinese herbalist and it worked wonders. I was being told I would have to have surgery to lengthen a muscle and have been pain free for 20 years since. I have had acupuncture since from people like physios and it has never worked. Made no difference for migraines either. I would have gone back to the first lady, but the shop closed years ago.

I'm a doctor and was v sceptical - but I have done the medical acupuncture training.

It works for some things and not at all for others. Interestingly on the course they admit that there are no such things as 'points' - even if you get very experienced acupuncturists together you find they all think a point is somewhere ever so slightly different.

Things it does work for:
musculoskeletal pain, especially an acute spasm
some nausea
migraine - for some people. I found it handy if I got a migraine at work and didn't want to take meds that made me drowsy. Not actually as good as medication though
hot flushes - again not always but some patients thought it was amazing

There were a lot of wild claims being made on the training though.

I’ve had it on and off, and it’s worked amazingly for me and muscle pain.

I found it helped short term with the symptoms of a brain tumour prior to surgery upon the recommendation of my neurologist (dizziness, headaches, also the anxiety). Obv it didn't get rid of the brain tumour itself!! It gave me a bit of relief though.

I had acupuncture for horrific morning sickness but unfortunately it didn't help at all. However, a relative has had it for an injury and it made an incredible difference. Worth a try I'd say.

I had it for fertility. We had IVF and were successful on first go. I’ve no doubt that acupuncture played a huge part in our success. We tried for 4yrs and after birth of my daughter I was pregnant naturally six months later!! Lady I went to was a retired midwife but had done a lot of her training in China. Another colleague went to her also and became pregnant soon after. I’m a huge believer in acupuncture if it is done right.

I had it after a miscarriage many years ago. I was sceptical and couldn't believe it could make any difference to how I was feeling.

OP it absolutely blew me away! It really put me right back on my feet again. I don't have it regularly now but my physio uses it so if I need to visit her I usually have some to help the treatment.

It doesn't work for everyone, but you will know straight away if it is going to or not. If you have an acupuncturist who has been recommended I would certainly try it.