Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think acupuncture is pointless?

146 replies

beastlyslumber · 12/07/2021 18:58

It pains me to say I've been acupunctured today and lying there on the table with pins in my face for 20 minutes (then parting with 50 quid) all I could think was, god I am a gullible fool.

I'm not trying to needle anyone but really, what is the point?

OP posts:
TheFnozwhowasmirage · 12/07/2021 21:31

I like your puns,but I have to say that acupuncture worked for me. 3.5 years of investigations for infertility,lap and dye tests,clomid,nothing could explain it,but the consultant told me to either go away and adopt,or go on a very long waiting list for IVF. He said that I'd never conceive naturally after this long.
I'm bloody-minded enough to not give up,so went on the waiting list,and went for acupuncture in the mean time. I was pregnant within 7 weeks of my first treatment,had Dd1,thought that I'd better not leave it too long to try for baby number 2,just in case it took years again,but I was pregnant at our first attempt,and ended up with two children under 21 months.
I'm the least woo person there is,but I could tell when the needles got the right spot,it was almost like a tiny tingle. Occasionally the acupuncturist would get the needle's position slightly inaccurate,and I could tell before she told me. It's a weird sensation.

WicketBasket · 12/07/2021 21:37

@TheFnozwhowasmirage That sounds very interesting! I’m in a similar situation TTC wise- is there a particular acupuncture specialist or clinic you would recommend? Where did you start finding someone? I’ve had a look online and there’s so many practitioners out there, wondering how I can work out what’s what Grin

FangsForTheMemory · 12/07/2021 21:40

If it doesn't work for you don't do it. I've had acupuncture and it certainly had a lot of effect, although not always the effects I was expecting.

PrincessNutella · 12/07/2021 21:44

I have found the experience relaxing and present, but come on, it really is bullshit.

theotherfossilsister · 12/07/2021 21:57

It has really really helped my mental health and anxiety. I used to freeze so hard I fell over on hearing a loud noise and that has nearly gone.

It hasn't helped with infertility but as there is now a diagnosed reason for our infertility I guess that's not a surprise. I will definitely keep seeing her through IVF. I trust her absolutely.

ForeverAintEnough3 · 13/07/2021 08:44

@TheFoundations unfortunately in my desperation to have a baby I didn’t have ‘one unsuccessful try’.

  1. Acupuncture with one top fertility acupuncturist for a round of IVF which failed
  2. Acupuncture for 6 months with same practitioner who had all the credentials and insisted acupuncture would get me pregnant. It didn’t
  3. Moved to another apparently top person who worked with fertility clinics for another round of IVF - that round got cancelled before even getting to transfer
  4. Stopped doing acupuncture as lost all faith in it but then got to transfer to an embryo and was afraid if I didn’t do it I might miss out on something that might help (the story we’re sold) so did it pre and post transfer and during the two week wait and it didn’t work
  5. Friend went to acupuncture for fertility for nearly 2 years. She eventually gave up going and got pregnant naturally 6 months later
  6. Went to acupuncture for 3 months prior to all this for a slipped disc and it did nothing to help. Got spinal injections and with regular physio got better.

How much more money do you recommend I give acupuncturists before you would deem it not to be ‘a shame an individual gives up on it’

The problem with all these interventions is they cost a fortune and keep promising that if you just keep giving them your money it will work.

GiantHaystacks2021 · 13/07/2021 08:47

A relative of mine did it to help with fertility issues.
It never worked for her.

TheFoundations · 13/07/2021 09:00

@ForeverAintEnough3

How much more money do you recommend I give acupuncturists before you would deem it not to be ‘a shame an individual gives up on it

None.

Gothichouse40 · 13/07/2021 09:10

Im sorry it has not helped you. I received acupuncture for an extremely bad case of 'tennis elbow'. It really helped me with the pain.

Original poster
beastlyslumber · 13/07/2021 14:00

They just haven't hit the sweet spot op!

Well, the other thing is that it actually hurt quite a bit, especially on the top of my foot. It felt like she was just randomly stabbing the needles in and I'm not convinced she took much time to figure out the exact spot, although maybe she is just super experienced and knows where they are! But... ouch!

OP posts:
Original poster
beastlyslumber · 13/07/2021 14:03

I'm so glad for all the people commenting who found it really worked for them! And sorry for everyone who's spent money and had no results. I am not convinced one way or the other, although I think the practitioner does make a big difference. Honestly, as pleasant and friendly as she was, she seemed a bit bored and like she didn't really care. And if I want someone to be bored and uncaring about my health, I can see my GP for nothing!

OP posts:
TheFoundations · 13/07/2021 14:05

randomly stabbing the needles in

Jeez. No wonder you don't want to go back much!

IDontReadEyebrows · 13/07/2021 14:09

I'm not trying to needle anyone but really, what is the point? that’s so pun-tastic it’s painful.

I think it’s like any medical procedure- it will work for some people but not others. My dad swears by it to help a specific medical issue he has and always seems perkier after he’s just finished.

IsabelHerna · 13/07/2021 15:43

Hmm I don't know. I am certainly happy for all of you that you've found it helpful.
Personally, I'm definitely not a believer, but if it doesn't hurt why not try it at least?
I feel I want to do my part, the most that I can in order to help out the situation, so if sticking a couple of needles will make me feel like I'm more active why not? On the other hand, why spend lots of money for something I don't really believe in? I don't know, I'm going back and forth on the matter...

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 13/07/2021 15:56

Hmm I don't know. I am certainly happy for all of you that you've found it helpful.
Personally, I'm definitely not a believer, but if it doesn't hurt why not try it at least?
I feel I want to do my part, the most that I can in order to help out the situation, so if sticking a couple of needles will make me feel like I'm more active why not? On the other hand, why spend lots of money for something I don't really believe in? I don't know, I'm going back and forth on the matter...

It doesn't matter if you believe in it or not, it works, that's why it's available on the NHS.

Where a relative lives in California , you have it as standard alongside IVF as the success rate is much higher.

CandyLeBonBon · 13/07/2021 17:39

@VanGoghsDog

Bearing in mind vets use it for pain relief - and I'm not sure placebos work on animals

Funnily enough, studies have shown placebos work on horses.

Really? That's interesting!
TheFoundations · 13/07/2021 17:55

I've seen shiatsu done on a horse. The practitioner walked right round the back and picked up the horse's tail, exactly like you're not meant to, got hold of it with both hands, and leaned back with all her weight, arms completely straight. I thought the horse was most likely to do it's nut and then ask to be moved to a different stables, but actually, it went all floppy and droopy with it's eyes half shut. It was ridiculous. All of its body language said 'OMYGOD that feels GREAT.'

The woman came to the stables quite a few times while I was there, she got recommended from one owner to the next, the treatments were definitely working.

I don't really understand the placebo thing. It's basically saying 'This is a way to illicit your body's natural restorative response.' A placebo seems to be referred to as if it's actually nothing, but if doing nothing could cure us, then we wouldn't be going for treatments, would we? Most people would just take what the doctor gave them and be cured, without needing to look further. And if it needs to be a specific sort of treatment to illicit the placebo effect, then that validates the treatment, surely?

NoviceNewMN · 13/07/2021 18:04

I think it depends what you are using it for.

There are at least two types of acupunture - Chinese acupuncture and 'medical' acupuncture (not sure what you call this).

Chinese acupuncture is based on things like flow etc. If there is anything woo, it would be this but even a placebo effect isn't to be knocked.

I had medical acupuncture for a muscular issue. This is evidenced based. Just repeating what I was told - no expert and probably not the right language - but if you stick a medical acupuncture needle in a muscle in the right place, it makes the muscle contract. When the need is removed the muscle relaxes so it can be an effective treatment for some muscle tighteness. Worked for me.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 13/07/2021 18:12

There are at least two types of acupunture - Chinese acupuncture and 'medical' acupuncture (not sure what you call this)

Dry needling I think

Wooolffff · 13/07/2021 18:27

I had acupuncture for an auto-immune disease many years ago (adult onset Stills). It worked when nothing else did and 30 years later I am still free of it. My acupuncturist was trained by a Chinese practitioner and was highly skilled.

He also thought diet, traditional Chinese medicine should be used in conjunction with it.

TheFoundations · 13/07/2021 19:15

@NoviceNewMN

The two types of acupuncture are the same thing called by a different name. You might have a needle put in a specific place for muscle tension. The medical acupuncture practitioner will say that there is medical evidence that this relaxes the muscle due to nerve impulses, the TCM practitioner will say that it's smoothing the Liver Qi. One doesn't oppose the other, any more than the french word 'chien' opposes the english word 'dog'. They're 2 interpretations of the same thing, not 2 different things, whereby one is 'woo' and the other one is 'real'.

VanGoghsDog · 13/07/2021 19:24

I barely felt the needles go in. And some were in my ear.

I'd suggest trying another practitioner.

Original poster
beastlyslumber · 13/07/2021 20:47

@Wooolffff

I had acupuncture for an auto-immune disease many years ago (adult onset Stills). It worked when nothing else did and 30 years later I am still free of it. My acupuncturist was trained by a Chinese practitioner and was highly skilled.

He also thought diet, traditional Chinese medicine should be used in conjunction with it.

That's great! How long did it take/how many sessions? I'm beginning to think maybe my acupuncturist is not one of the very highly skilled ones...
OP posts:
YellowBellyCat · 13/07/2021 20:49

My physio has been using it on my chronically tight calf muscle. I can literally feel the muscle go into spasm and then relax and walk out feeling much better. Maybe it’s psychological but I don’t think it is.

Intercity225 · 13/07/2021 22:11

DH had tennis elbow, diagnosed by an orthopaedic consultant, who said if nothing else worked, the last resort was surgery.

He had a course of private physiotherapy - which didn't do any good. He had 5 sessions of acupuncture, which had no effect. The 6th session of acupuncture and it was gone. No more pain, and he was able to do things, like pick up a newspaper, which he was unable to do before, because it was too painful.

He had been completely sceptical until session 6; and now he accepts it works. No more trouble since.