Acupuncture - tell me how it's helped you

[awkwardsitch]

I'm sceptical of how a few needles can be curative.

How has it helped you?

Hip out of alignment (thanks Zumba) 8 weeks of physio and acupuncture. I'm a convert. Some weeks had both some weeks had one or the other.

Didn’t work for me with tennis elbow. The practioner also managed to burst a blood vessel in my hand. Hocus pocus.

It’s bollocks.

Any effect is due to placebo.

No solid clinical evidence for it beating placebo.

The history of it is intetesting though - it’s pushed as some kind of ancient (which it is) thing that’s relied on in the east but the reality is that it was pretty much ditched by most of China when western medicine became available.

As with many ‘alternative’ practices there is a considerable placebo effect from someone sympathetic in a white coat spending time listening to your symptoms and conducting a ritual.

Science is open to al his stuff working by the way - we’d love it if it did, but we need to see some solid evidence first. Some alternative therapies have provided that evidence (certain arsenic compound used in some kinds of leukaemia, lots of herbal folk remedies which do indeed have active ingredients.) you show us the evidence and we will call it medicine.

But right now, there isn’t anything convincing for acupuncture

It depends on what your problem is OP. Here's a link about a meta analysis www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3658605/ I think there is a link to the actual study on it.

Migraine/headache/anxiety

I was having up to 20 migraines a month. I had 5 lots of Botox on the NHS and was really quite poorly. My headache specialist retired and my new one asked me to try acupuncture before I had another round of Botox. I’m so glad I did. I now get 2 or 3 migraines a month and feel so much better.

I, also, suffer with severe SPD, have terrible hip pain and have a very bad back. I’ve got arthritis in my back, pelvis and hips. I go in there practically in tears and dragging my leg and come out in a lot less pain. I, also, sleep better for the 2 or 3 nights after I’ve had it done.

I go every 2 weeks or so.

I was recommended it by my midwife when pregnant with my 3rd baby - I had raised BP/anxiety due to a previous stillbirth and she told me to try it for relaxation more than anything. I used to go in, have the needles put in and within 15 minutes be out like a light....the practitioner always had to wake me! I'd sleep for 12 hours solid that night too. I had it all through my 3rd and 4th pregnancies and swear by it. It's fantastic for relaxation.

Yes placebo can be incredibly powerful.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3838801/

Hmm. At £50-60'a session in even more sceptical!!

Mine was £30 including physio

Works for me. Arthritis in lower back but it also gives me a very relaxed feeling. I think it's something that not everyone likes so you really have to try it to see if it's your thing. My physio does it so very capable

Couldn't barely stand up due to severe morning sickness. In and out of hospital for first 4 months of pregnancy. One session of acupuncture and I had a bowl of soup, glass of water and never looked back! Amazing.