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?

Curious about why you think it would be unfounded?

I've tried for chronic pain and migraine and it didn't help me but I hear lots of stories of it helping. Is it just placebo? What's the scientific basis?

I had a trapped nerve in my neck/shoulder & went to a physio he actually told me it would be better getting acupuncture, I was very sceptical but gave it a go & honestly it was amazing

I studied acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbal medicine for five years when my DCs were young and I was taking a career break. Mostly because I’d had so much success with it myself and was fascinated by how it works. And yes it absolutely does work. I don’t practice professionally - I never intended to but I love treating friends and family. Especially the ones who don’t expect to work … and then it does 😂

I am as un woo as it comes, but when I had pain following a life changing accident that morphine wasn't touching and the NHS physio suggested she could try it off the books I was prepared to give anything a go as I was so, so desperate. It turned the pain right down for 30 minutes each time so that at least I could focus enough to do some physio and for her to try and find out what was happening.
Since then I tried it with a very experienced physio for tendonitis which 3 steroid injections, anti inflammatories, ultrasound and exercises wasn't helping the first time and one session made it so much better. Each time it comes back (disability on the other side makes me massively prone to over use) I go straightaway.

I had lumpy, painful fibrocystic breasts for about 6 weeks and all my GP could offer was a long course of ibuprofen to try to reduce the inflammation. I went to an acupuncturist for an unrelated condition and she identified a point related to the breast issue, and the next morning the lumpiness was gone. I was astounded; it couldn't have been a coincidence.

I'll admit I've done lots of acupuncture since and never had that convincing an outcome again, however with a good practitioner and for the right condition, it is effective.

I went to the GP when consumed by grief after the sudden death of a friend.
He was so kind to me and offered me acupuncture which he did then and there. I had no idea GPs did this and have never heard of it happening to anyone else, but it was a turning point for me and I was on the up from that moment on.

I had it for crippling joint pain numerous times and it really made a difference. DH was always sceptical until the cat had acupuncture for arthritis in his hip and then the dog had it for arthritis in his spine. When he saw how they responded he was no longer a sceptic!

It really helped my neck problem having needles in my bum 😀

I've had dry needling by my (excellent) physio. It did nothing for my hip pain (injury). I had a steroid injection in the end, that was about 15 years ago.

I've had acupuncture by an acupuncturist, which was in a different league, worked really well.

Wow, didn't expect such an overwhelming thumbs up to be honest.

I think I'm skeptical because the science is so vague. I like research, data, evidence.

But as I said in my OP, and what you all (mainly) agree on is that it does seem to work.

My DH is terminally ill with cancer and the acupuncture he receives at hospice is sometimes the only thing that helps with the pain. Find someone experienced who knows what they're doing.

I had it after three early miscarriages. After a few months of a session every 2 weeks, I fell pregnant with my daughter. So it worked for me

Yes. It made a huge difference to my silent reflux. I was on Omeprazole and am now completely drug free.

The Chinese acupuncturist told me that they have to qualify as a medical doctor before they become an acupuncturist.

Yes. We'd been TTC for over 3.5 years. Had clomid,lap and dye tests,nothing obviously wrong but was told that it was very unlikely that I'd ever conceive naturally,and to go away and think about adoption/ IVF.
Instead,being bloody minded and not liking to be told what to do,I went for acupuncture instead. After a few weeks,to my utter shock,I found out that I was pregnant. Sadly it was ectopic and I was told that my already slim chances of conceiving again were now virtually nil,and if by some miracle I did get pregnant, it'd probably be another ectopic.
Again, although devastated,I went back to the acupuncturists and was pregnant again 7 weeks after my ectopic. I had a healthy DD,and when she was 1,we decided to try again,just in case it took a long while. I didn't even get as far as my acupuncture appointment this time though,as I got pregnant immediately and had another healthy DD.
I'm the least woo person ever,but if certainly worked for me and I wouldn't hesitate to use it again in future.

I dabbled with it for relaxation and boy it was good! Having to drove home after was hard as I felt so relaxed. Xx

I tried it for IVF as well, unfortunately no luck, but it was sooooo relaxing. Xx

Another infertile woman here told I was “clutching at straws” if I thought I’d conceive. My cycles were 21d, and regular, which the NHS says is fine. Chinese medicine says 28d best/ 27 or 29 acceptable. Started acupuncture. Cycles lengthened to 27/28d. Got pregnant. Stayed pregnant.
Now I go for relaxation amidst my tiring life as a mum of two.

Hi op. I was somewhat sceptical. I have a friend who is an acupuncturist. I get lower back pain. She is a miracle worker and the pain goes in a few days. Is this acupuncture or careful rest. I don’t know but I am then not in pain

In some places they do acupuncture alongside IVF as standard.

It's cured both trigeminal neuralgia and a back issue I'd had for years. So it's 100% from me.

Dry needling by a physio certainly works.

I used to get cold after cold every winter and acupuncture completely sorted that out. I am a deeply cynical person, but the evidence that it worked for me was just undeniable.

It’s been around for 3000 years so there is quite a long history of positive impact and iterative approaches. I had it for months immediately after my spinal injury and credit it with my remarkable recovery.

Acupuncture is best thought of as a sophisticated placebo. Given that the placebo effect is measurable, quantifiable & very real, it could therefore be argued that acupuncture does, in fact, ‘work’.