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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think that accupuncture is a load of bollocks

130 replies

Pakdooik · 21/11/2011 17:43

I've got a long term bad back - usually OK but every now and then it goes badly awry and I take myslef off to the physio.

The f**ng thing went as I was getting out of bed on Saturday so after a weekend of pain I got an emegency appointment this afternoon. My regular physio was fully booked so I had someone I'd not seen before.

In addition to the usual heat treatment and manipulation, she offered me accupuncture. Now I'll try anything if it'll aid my back so I said OK. But as I lay there for 20 minutes with 12 needles in my back, legs and feet having my "energy channelled" I couldn't help but think it was a load of old tripe.

Has anyone here had any benefit from the pin treatment?

OP posts:

DazzleII · 21/11/2011 19:08

Blimey, thanks for that Cochrane library link. Plenty there to chew on.

eurochick · 21/11/2011 19:50

I was sceptical. In desperation I tried to aid fertility. There have been tangible changes to my cycles since starting (TMI alert - fewer clots, shorter periods, longer luteal phase and more regular cycles). I'm not pregnant but it's definitely doing something.

NearlyMrsCustardsHardHat · 21/11/2011 19:52

It does something. Made my fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain worse. Also ended up with a numb thumb as a result.

carabos · 21/11/2011 20:03

As far as I understand it, acupuncture is known to work because it has been tested on animals and found to be effective ( animals can't produce a suggested placebo effect).
Whatever, it certainly worked for my sacro-iliac pain.

Original poster

Pakdooik · 21/11/2011 20:05

I've just seen that I've been spelling acupuncture wrong all these years!

OP posts:

Serenitysutton · 21/11/2011 20:05

There is evidence acupucture works as pain relief- it's prescribed under the nhs. Sure it might not've worked for you but you can't think that means you know All ABout it. Some drugs don't work for some people.

I found acupucture wonderful for stress. I am thinking of having it again actually.

Rational · 21/11/2011 20:07

You'd be as well saving your money and sticking a couple of pencils up your nose. If it works at all it's due to the placebo effect, not a shred of evidence to suggest otherwise.

Serenitysutton · 21/11/2011 20:09

Oh sorry just realised you expected it to work after 1 session- it will take a few.

NinkyNonker · 21/11/2011 20:10

Sorry, was on phone earlier.

I went because I had been signed off work with stress, which mainfested itself in chronic headaches and insomnia. My boss recommended that I went as he was a huge fan. I was very sceptical, but thought what the hey.

I hated it, as I am not a fan of needles and it is an odd sensation at times.

However, after 5 or 6 sessions at about 1 a week, my headaches had gone and it was only taking me half an hour to nod off as against either hours, or not nodding off at all. I had tried everything.

So, maybe it was some prolongued placebo effect, the fact I was trying something new making me feel I was being proactive or maybe it really did work. I am inclined towards the latter to be honest.

BarkisIsWillin · 21/11/2011 20:12

Acupuncture has worked brilliantly for me for tennis elbow when done by a qualified practitioner who had studied acupuncture for years. It did sod all for me when carried out by a physiotherapist who had probably done a short course on it.

Deadsouls · 21/11/2011 20:12

Tried for 15 months to get pregnant, started acupuncture then was pregnant 2 months later

TheCountessRoyalofBlood · 21/11/2011 20:14

Well, if its the placebo affect then it works for me. I have endless issues with my knees and after an operation that I wasn't recovering from very well (my knee would not reduce in size as it was so full of fluid) I went to my physio who offered me accupuncture. He actually said at the time, we should try it first as any manipulation wasn't going to have any affect, so I had no manipulation and a knee joint that I couldn't bend, 1/2 an hour later I walked out with a knee that was only just a bit more swollen than the non dodgy one. I am not entirely sure I could will away a whole load of fluid that previously had had to be drained by a fecking huge needle pushed up to the hilt under my patella but would be delighted if that was the case.

TheCountessRoyalofBlood · 21/11/2011 20:16

Meant to add but it posted anyway that if it was mind over matter would have got rid of my excess weight by some kind of jedi mind control by now .

Perhaps it doesn't work for everyone but just perhaps in addition to other things it can help.

TheCountessRoyalofBlood · 21/11/2011 20:17

Would point out mine was done by someone who had studied for a long time and had done acupuncture prior to physio course.

PinkCanary · 21/11/2011 20:31

Went for back pain. Loved it.

As a byproduct, had been trying to get pregnant for over 18 months and was finally pregnant within 6 weeks. Had no idea that it could aid conception until later!

ohbugrit · 21/11/2011 20:33

I practice acupuncture, as a vet. A few things ...

There's a lot of evidence that acupuncture is effective, particularly for knee pain. I am in bed posting from phone but will try to come back with links tomorrow!

The traditional Chinese approach and explanation, along with the meridians stuff, is bollocks IMO. I practise a Western approach which explains the effects in several ways: endorphin release, trigger point alleviation leading to reduced myofascial pain, the gate control theory of pain (eg rubbing sore bits helps), and stimulation of healing due to minute trauma caused by needles. Happy to go into more detail tomorrow if anyone interested.

Incidentally,there is a placebo effect in animals. But carefully controlled studies using sham acupuncture have given pretty convincing results. I'd say 80% of my animal patients respond to a noticeable degree, especially those with muscular back pain secondary to lameness. Also really impressive results with nonhealing lick granuloma wounds.

Also, for "sciatica" it is definitely worth a try, in humans this is often a problem with a wee muscle in your bum called piriformis and a well-placed needle can fix it seemingly miraculously.

I don't respond at all to acupuncture myself, sad to say.

DressingGownQueen · 21/11/2011 20:35

Well, I believe in it.

But I am a bit bias, I am a holistic therapist so pretty much off the woo scale

TheCountessRoyalofBlood · 21/11/2011 20:36

ohbugrit I think you either do or you don't as a human tbh, I feel lucky that it worked for me as far as the knee was concerned, can't say it did the same about my smoking in the long term oops just outed my secret smoker self

MoreBeta · 21/11/2011 20:36

I went for back pain too. I was bent double. Came out 1 hour later stood up straight.

Had acupuncture and reflexology for various things over the years. What I would say is that alternative medicine practicioners are very good at working out potential causes of chronic conditions and alleviating painful and distressing symptoms that Western medicine has failed to deal with.

However.....Western medicine is much better at dealing with acute and critical conditions.

hiddenhome · 21/11/2011 20:38

I visited some Chinese acupuncturists once.

I lay down on the couch and she inserted some needles into the top of my head, then twizzled them a bit.

I immediately felt relaxed and kind of floaty. Started to giggle and felt happy. She asked me how I felt and I told her. I hadn't known what to expect before she inserted the needles, so it wasn't placebo effect. It was a definite physical response.

Serenitysutton · 21/11/2011 20:41

Ohbugerit has reminded me- vsuprised how clinical mine was- not a
joss stick in sight.
I would urge anyone to make sure they use a nhs approved or otherwise approved practitioner- please don't forget these people ARE pushing needles you, no corners Can be cut

DazzleII · 21/11/2011 20:42

It's hilarious the way people say there's not a shred of evidence that acupuncture works when there's a link on this thread to loads of evidence that it works.

It is just plain weird.

How do people get into that position of swearing black is white? How on earth do they function in life?

ohbugrit · 21/11/2011 20:43

Yes, important to note that people have been left with cardiac tamponade plans collapsed lungs after acupuncture has gone wrong - one of the main reasons I won't treat humans, you really need to see someone who knows their shit!

ohbugrit · 21/11/2011 20:45

*plans = and. Predictive text + fat fingers.

WhiteTrash · 21/11/2011 20:45

Is it a placebo when it works on a baby? My son (6 months, 5 months at the time) had a month of Urticaria after an anaphylactic shock to a yoghurt. Gp's kept giving me creams (6 in total) steroid creams (several times) oral steroids (3 different times) and still nothing worked. We had acculuncture and saw his uticaria start calming while we were still in their building. A great improvement an hour later, excellent improvement 4 hours later and 90% cleares up by morning.

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