Acupuncture In Issan

[mizzi39]

About 2 weeks ago I compressed my radial nerve. (radial nerve palsy), and virtually could not move my wrist or fingers. To make matters worse it happened to my dominant arm (i am left handed) So off I go to the hospital to meet with an orthopaedic doctor who immediately started Physical therapy with electro stimulus along with exercise. She told me that it could take up to a month to several months (ouch) before I had full use of my arm and fingers. I never had any pain, just numbness along the nerve.

After a week with the electrical stimulus therapy ( reasonable at 200 baht a pop for 20 minutes ) I could bend my wrist back and some of the numbness in my arm was subsiding. The probelem was my fingers (fore finger and thumb) which were still numb and virtually useless, not to mention that my arm and hand would get "tired" quickly. Even something as trivial as brushing my teeth or shaving was a chore, and forget about picking up a glass in fear that it would drop out of my hand. I quickly adapted to using my right hand for safety reasons alone.

I decided that after 2 weeks I had taken the electical stim therapy as far as I could take it and it was not helping with my "fine motor skills". The doctor suggested that I may want to try acupuncture. My boss set me up with her brother who is certified with his own clinic and also does outpatient therapy at the hospitals here in town. After he evaluated me he recommended eletroacupuncture (350 baht a pop).

I must admit that i was a bit skeptical, but said what the hel_l? 30 minutes of therapy and i could finally move my finger and thumb with full range of motion, I could flex my fingers back which I was unable to do, and the numbness started to subside. He also put me on vitamin B and E.

I am scheduled to have 2 more treatments, since i am about 80% cured (still have some numbness in my arm). I never really believed in "alternative medicine", but I must say that i am now a convert.

[Richb2004v2]

Acupuncture works as well as does a random man in a white coat sticking needles randomly around the body. There is no scientific method behind it. If you ask the practitioner to explain how it works without resorting to chi and imaginary energy lines you will find find him lost for words. Having said that, you feel better which is good.

[rak sa_ngop]

If anybody wants to try acupuncture in Bangkok I can recommend the St. Louis Hospital on Sathorn. They have a Traditional Chinese medicine department. Very pleasant clinic with friendly staff. One session will probably set you back between 650 to 850 baht.

Not sure if it really worked for me (I had a course of 12 visits), but I felt it was worth it.

[mizzi39]

Acupuncture works as well as does a random man in a white coat sticking needles randomly around the body. There is no scientific method behind it. If you ask the practitioner to explain how it works without resorting to chi and imaginary energy lines you will find find him lost for words. Having said that, you feel better which is good.

Having a mother who is a nurse practitioner and working in health care (in the US) myself for many years before moving here I had always been a little skeptical when it comes to "alternative medicine" more do with my ignorance than not "believing" in it.

Over the years i have become more skeptical of drug companies , their reps, and the doctors who work for them manufacturing medications, many actually treating conditions, as well as many just masking them., It is these people who are more than likely to say that there is no "scientific method" behind it along with someone like Richard Dawkins who believes that if something cannot be "scientifically proven" then it is "pseudo" at best.

Acupuncture is used in many hospitals in the west. The World Health Organization (WHO) listed a series of conditions which are shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment.

Like i stated before i was already having electro stimulus therapy at the hospital to 'jump start" my radial nerve and then switched to electroacupunture that pinpointed (no pun intended) a specific area that was not working properly, since the electro stim. is more generalized.

As far as scientific studies are concerned, the outcome of such studies depends on the organization(s) funding it, so most "scientific studies" are subjective and incomplete to say the least.

i would not want some random man in a white coat sticking needles in me randomly and to suggest that a practitioner is no more than that is really nonsensical. To ignore thousands of years of practice is also a little ignorant in my book, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

i am very much aware that acupuncture is an alternative and not an end all, but in this case it worked for me.

Edited March 23, 2010 by mizzi39

[MrWiggle]

Where is this Accupuncture centre the Op refers to ??

[Godolphin]

I know that in Australia acupuncture is taught in university schools and practiced all over.

Acupuncture treatment is also claimable on most private health funds.

Maybe it's western medicine that doesn't have the tools to understand another perspective, rather than the other way around.

[Richb2004v2]

I know that in Australia acupuncture is taught in university schools and practiced all over.

Acupuncture treatment is also claimable on most private health funds.

Maybe it's western medicine that doesn't have the tools to understand another perspective, rather than the other way around.

If someone can just give me an explanation of how acupuncture works I will reconsider my opinion. I have not been able to find one on the internet so far. I also contacted the British Council of Acupuncture who also so far have been unable to give me a scientific explanation. If I were to do the same for accepted medicine I would have no such trouble. Blood pressure medicine, Asthma drugs, chemotherapy, antihistamines etc all have explanations. The same can not be said of acupuncture. The next time you are in some way actually ill or are hit by a car why not forget these 'western medicines' and stick with your 'alternative' medicine. When next your child is sick just employ the services of a reflexologist or some such and go make another tye-die T-shirt.

[Anon999]

On 4/7/2010 at 1:13 AM, Richb2004v2 said:

If someone can just give me an explanation of how acupuncture works I will reconsider my opinion. I have not been able to find one on the internet so far. I also contacted the British Council of Acupuncture who also so far have been unable to give me a scientific explanation. If I were to do the same for accepted medicine I would have no such trouble. Blood pressure medicine, Asthma drugs, chemotherapy, antihistamines etc all have explanations. The same can not be said of acupuncture. The next time you are in some way actually ill or are hit by a car why not forget these 'western medicines' and stick with your 'alternative' medicine. When next your child is sick just employ the services of a reflexologist or some such and go make another tye-die T-shirt.

Many years ago I had a problem with one of my knees and was treated with all but one of the options open to the NHS hospital without success. The nurse eventually said the only thing we haven't tried is acupuncture which caused raised eyebrows. Having had the treatment explained to me I decided to give it a try because there was nothing to lose. After the first session there was an improvement much to my surprise and I think that 3 or 4 short sessions resolved the problem never to return. Did I need a scientific explanation of course not, any more than for any other physiotherapy treatment. Have had it a couple of times since also treated by a chiropractor for back proplem.