Anyone try acupuncture?

[rayne008]

Wondering if anyone has 1st hand experience with acupuncture?

Coles notes: I'm in my mid-30's and have always been very active, but past year my whole body has stiffened up like a plank.

Does it do anything for back pain and flexibility?

Any recommendations on who to see?

I currently see an good chrio who focuses on muscle therapy and breaking of scan tissue.

[Hevishot]

The best thing for bringing back young age flexibilty is to spend time stretching every day it will probably help the back pain aswell (it did for me anyways). Dr Tom Kelly is a pretty great as far as chiropractors go if you are looking for a second opinion.

[Sliver]

Troutman will be posting a helpful link for you shortly.

[troutman]

http://www.skepdic.com/acupuncture.html

The danger from acupuncture is that it is being promoted as superior to scientific medicine, when in fact it is clearly inferior. Acupuncture is touted as appropriate for almost any disorder or disease in man or beast, when the evidence clearly shows that such a belief is a dangerous delusion. Scientific medicine isn't perfect, but it doesn't claim to have a treatment for everything. Furthermore, scientific medicine has numerous examples of treatments that have been shown not to be effective solely due to conditioning, placebo, or false placebo factors. Acupuncture has no such examples.

Finally, acupuncture is not without risks. There have been some reports of lung and bladder punctures, some broken needles, needles left in after treatment, and some allergic reactions to needles containing substances other than surgical steel. Acupuncture may be harmful to the fetus in early pregnancy since it may stimulate the production of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and oxytocin, which affect labor. There is always the possibility of infection from unsterilized needles.* Some patients will suffer simply because they avoid a known effective treatment of science-based medicine in favor of an untested or inadequately tested treatment favored by some acupuncturist.* The most any skeptic can hope for is that such patients make an informed choice in a setting where acupuncture is used as a complement, not an alternative, to scientific medicine. At least then the patient might get the best medicine science has to offer if it is needed.

Science-Based Medicine: Guide to Acupuncture and "Eastern" Medicine

http://www.amazon.ca/Science-Based-M...based+medicine

[Peanut]

I've done it a few times. No scary side effects like what Troutman posted.

I have a pretty bad back as well, and for me personally I get a lot more benefit out of regular massage, yoga, and a chiropractic adjustment every once in awhile than I do out of acupuncture. JMO.

[CarlW]

Originally Posted by troutman

http://www.skepdic.com/acupuncture.html

The danger from acupuncture is that it is being promoted as superior to scientific medicine, when in fact it is clearly inferior. Acupuncture is touted as appropriate for almost any disorder or disease in man or beast, when the evidence clearly shows that such a belief is a dangerous delusion. Scientific medicine isn't perfect, but it doesn't claim to have a treatment for everything. Furthermore, scientific medicine has numerous examples of treatments that have been shown not to be effective solely due to conditioning, placebo, or false placebo factors. Acupuncture has no such examples.

Finally, acupuncture is not without risks. There have been some reports of lung and bladder punctures, some broken needles, needles left in after treatment, and some allergic reactions to needles containing substances other than surgical steel. Acupuncture may be harmful to the fetus in early pregnancy since it may stimulate the production of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and oxytocin, which affect labor. There is always the possibility of infection from unsterilized needles.* Some patients will suffer simply because they avoid a known effective treatment of science-based medicine in favor of an untested or inadequately tested treatment favored by some acupuncturist.* The most any skeptic can hope for is that such patients make an informed choice in a setting where acupuncture is used as a complement, not an alternative, to scientific medicine. At least then the patient might get the best medicine science has to offer if it is needed.

Science-Based Medicine: Guide to Acupuncture and "Eastern" Medicine

http://www.amazon.ca/Science-Based-M...based+medicine

Don't know any respectable Acupuncturist will say that the treatment is good for any and all ailments like you quoted above, obviously not for diseases involving bacteria/viruses/fungi. As for the risks you list it is comparable to if you went to a regular bad doctor, other quacks, and chiropractors or even accidents/incidents that can happen if you went to a hospital. Prescribed wrong meds, bad diagnosis, broken necks leading to paralysis/death, wrong or unnecessary treatments, etc.

[troutman]

http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthr...t=accupuncture

http://www.quackwatch.org/01Quackery...opics/acu.html

Acupuncture studies have shown that it makes no difference where you put the needles. Or whether you use needles or just pretend to use needles (as long as the subject believes you used them). Many acupuncture researchers are doing what I call Tooth Fairy science: measuring how much money is left under the pillow without bothering to ask if the Tooth Fairy is real.

TCM theory and practice are not based upon the body of knowledge related to health, disease, and health care that has been widely accepted by the scientific community. TCM practitioners disagree among themselves about how to diagnose patients and which treatments should go with which diagnoses. Even if they could agree, the TCM theories are so nebulous that no amount of scientific study will enable TCM to offer rational care.

http://www.ncahf.org/pp/acu.html


NCAHF believes:

1. Acupuncture is an unproven modality of treatment;
2. Its theory and practice are based on primitive and fanciful concepts of health and disease that bear no relationship to present scientific knowledge;
3. Research during the past twenty years has failed to demonstrate that acupuncture is effective against any disease;
4. Perceived effects of acupuncture are probably due to a combination of expectation, suggestion, counter- irritation, operant conditioning, and other psychological mechanisms;
5. The use of acupuncture should be restricted to appropriate research settings;
6. Insurance companies should not be required by law to cover acupuncture treatment; and
7. Licensure of lay acupuncturists should be phased out.

[kevman]

I've had great success with acupuncture when it comes to muscle trigger points. Needle goes in to tight trigger point, muscles freaks out and spasms, muscle lets go and relaxes, area feels great, repeat on other tight muscles, enjoy active lifestyle.

The voodoo magic part however I'm not convinced.

[manwiches]

agreed with kevman. I get 'acupuncture' needles from my physiotherapist for muscle trigger points. It's a vile feeling, but the next day it feels great. Helps to stimulate muscles that have remained dormant in my shoulders, which help with stabilizing them

[MRCboicgy]

I had it done after I separated my shoulder in an accident. The doctors at Rockyview recommended it as part of my Physio after I had my MRI and went through the testing to see if I needed surgery (which I didn't). I had it done at MRC as the last part of my weekly physio over an 8-week period.

As a fix-all treatment, I can't really comment, but it did help me regain my mobility back and helped with the recovery, as the physio sucked.I think it's a legitimate form of treatment in this kind of scenario (without incense and zen).

[meanmachine13]

Originally Posted by manwiches

agreed with kevman. I get 'acupuncture' needles from my physiotherapist for muscle trigger points. It's a vile feeling, but the next day it feels great. Helps to stimulate muscles that have remained dormant in my shoulders, which help with stabilizing them

Same here. I have had it for back/hip pain and its helped a lot.

[Minnie]

My daughter tried it for her back/shoulder issues at the recommendaton of her physiotherapist but didn't seem to find much benefit from it. She did find that it seemed to help with the damaged nerve in her foot - she's gotten some feeling back in the last 2 toes on the foot she injured, which is the first time really, since her accident. They also did cupping therapy (air cupping) once - once was enough - she refused that at subsequent appointments.

She looked like she'd been attacked by a giant octopus. Didn't hurt for the majority of the day and then by that evening, she was hurting pretty badly. She hurt for about 3 days after.

[djwazzy]

I highly recommend Izabella Dzikowski at Sunshine Physio in Cochrane. She has done wonders on my lower back. She takes accupunture to another level with IMS (intramuscular stimulation). Was skeptical at first with the whole thing, but she's been a miracle worker!

Here's the link: Sunshine Phsyio

[maverickstruth]

Originally Posted by rayne008

Any recommendations on who to see?

Buddy of mine from way back is a practicing acupuncturist:

http://premasai.com/ourteam/2010/8/1...n-forster.html

[CaptainCrunch]

I recommend nailapunctture



side effects may include multiple personalities, slight to mild mental ######ation, a tendency to poop your pants, or death.

Please do only as directed by a mob enforcer.

[j12iggy]

I am a physiotherapist - very western trained and very skeptical of all alternative medicine. I have trained in and done acupuncture. There is no question but that some people respond - and I have very scientific studies showing it to be effective for back pain. With that being said I don't use acupuncture as a treatment tool often because it is too "fluffy" for me. I use IMS very frequently. IMS uses similar needles - but it's theory is based on western anatomy and physiology - and is very accepted in the medical community. istop.org

[Yellefan]

Originally Posted by maverickstruth

Buddy of mine from way back is a practicing acupuncturist:

http://premasai.com/ourteam/2010/8/1...n-forster.html

I used to see this guy, seemed to work at first but then I think he stuck a needle in the common sense area of my head and I realized it was a bunch of bunk so I stopped going. He wanted to fix all of my physical and emotional problems with his needles... didn't work. He did help my sore hip for a few weeks though.

[Bob]

Originally Posted by Minnie

My daughter tried it for her back/shoulder issues at the recommendaton of her physiotherapist but didn't seem to find much benefit from it. She did find that it seemed to help with the damaged nerve in her foot - she's gotten some feeling back in the last 2 toes on the foot she injured, which is the first time really, since her accident. They also did cupping therapy (air cupping) once - once was enough - she refused that at subsequent appointments.

She looked like she'd been attacked by a giant octopus. Didn't hurt for the majority of the day and then by that evening, she was hurting pretty badly. She hurt for about 3 days after.

Wait, the air-cupping thing is real? I thought that was something made up by Penn & Teller ...

[manwiches]

Originally Posted by Minnie

My daughter tried it for her back/shoulder issues at the recommendaton of her physiotherapist but didn't seem to find much benefit from it. She did find that it seemed to help with the damaged nerve in her foot - she's gotten some feeling back in the last 2 toes on the foot she injured, which is the first time really, since her accident. They also did cupping therapy (air cupping) once - once was enough - she refused that at subsequent appointments.

She looked like she'd been attacked by a giant octopus. Didn't hurt for the majority of the day and then by that evening, she was hurting pretty badly. She hurt for about 3 days after.

I get this done from time to time (heat cups and the plastic suction ones too). They hurt like hell during, but I equate it to a consistent deep tissue massage. You do look like a mess after though. I get the 'My... your wife has a very round mouth' comments from my hockey team usually. lol

[CaptainCrunch]

You know, if I jam a sharp object into your body away from your back pain, or ram a bunch of hot suction cups all over your body of course the area that was bugging you when you came in isn't going to bother you.

That's why the Captain is opening up a national wide chain of scientifically proven workbook to the groin treatment center.

Back ache, no problem one solid manipulation of the testicles using the $60.00 work book and your back won't bother you for a while.

Toothache? We can cure that too using the running stomp technique.

Migraine headache. One solid rear back and boot to the sack and that headache is gone as is your consciousness and probably your high school memories.

Constipated? Not any more friend that poop will be flying out of you with one stiff boot to the baby makers.

Lets ask this gentlemen what he thinks.

Celebrity interviewer - "excuse me sir do you still have arthritic pain in your fingers?"

Guy curled up in the corner - "Holy god he kicked me in the nuts with a construction boot?

Celebrity interviewer - "See nothing about his glaucoma"

Guy - "I think one of them exploded"


Franchises are going fast.