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[Sparkles]

I tried it for a few weeks and tend to think that acupuncture's successes are mostly due to the placebo effect, but I certainly can't prove it.

If it didn't work for you it's probably because you have a closed mind.

Think that's a bit unfair. I tried acupuncture for pain around the back of my neck and shoulders many years ago, in Australia,the practitioner was Chinese and it did not have any positive effect.

At the time I had a very stressful occupation and when I resigned the pain when with it after a week or 2 .The pain it would appear was purely stress related as I had terminated the acupuncture

weeks before.Not saying I don't think acupuncture works for some/many,and I did have a very open mind at the time treating it as a last resort when physiotherapy failed to give any relief.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

The placebo effect works the opposite way also.

If you really think something will not work then the human mind can often defeat tactics/modalities that often work.

So for example let's take Accupuncture. It's somewhat ambiguous whether it works for back pain. Studies show mixed results and while insurance companies are paying for more of it that does not mean it really works. They might only be funding it because it saves them money.

An optimistic person viewing an ambiguous therapy like accupuncture could turn it into successful healing due to the placebo effect.

A pessimistic person viewing ambigious accupunture can turn that into an failed healing attempt via the negative placebo effect..

Most studies show people with pessimistic views on their prognosis tend to have bad outcomes.

Two edged sword

Edited June 30, 2014 by CobraSnakeNecktie

[Ulysses G.]

I was really into holistic health when I was younger, but I could not afford acupuncture back home.

I did think it would work, but all the needles did was cause me more pain, although it was not bad the first few sessions. After a few weeks I asked the practitioner if it would always hurt so much and she said yes - that this was the only way to get rid of arthritis pain.

It was like torture, because I dreaded every needle that she inserted and I never knew how many there would be. After she told me that it was not going to get any easier and my arthritis pain had not eased at all, I walked out and never went back.

Edited June 30, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[mania]

It was like torture, because I dreaded every needle that she inserted and I never knew how many there would be. After she told me that it was not going to get any easier and my arthritis pain had not eased at all, I walked out and never went back.

That dread didn't help you

Accu is funny that way. You do really need to relax

Any tension will work against you. Which is also why very good practitioners

will have a calm type setting some clam music playing soft etc.

If relaxed you should not feel all the needles going in

except once in awhile.

But I am one who has used accu for decades during times of injury

Always had good results. While it is not instantaneous if for example it was a bad back problem

& took 5-7 visits I did feel progressively better after each treatment

I like the 500 baht/$15 fees here as where I came from it was $50 per treatment

[elephant45]

I went to his place and tried to explain my possible whiplash problems to the Doctor who spoke very little English. He seemed distracted and there was nothing personal feeling about the brief meeting. He put me very quickly in a very hot room, and stuck needles in my head and my whole body started trembling and I asked quickly to get them out. So for me, this did not work. Other things that happen there I have no experience but for me acupuncture does not fit with my body. I have had at other times acupressure that did work but did not try it at this place or do I know if they have it. I recently went to one of these places in Singapore and had good results from acupressure and chiropractic type of treatment but they gave me some powder which almost made me mad. I went back and got all the ingredients written in Latin and English if possible and they said it was probably the ground up Silk worm that I was allergic to, (great) but of course no refund for the twenty us dollars on spent on the powder. They also did not check for any allergies before doing this. Nor did they tell me what was in it. Never again. I also why someone would go regularly to acupuncture?

[FolkGuitar]

....................... I also why someone would go regularly to acupuncture?

Perhaps because for most people, it's an effective tool in the medical treatment toolbox.

These days, many western medical clinics have added acupuncture to their available procedures, because for many problems, it's a very effective methodology.

But......

.... acupuncture won't fix every problem, just as surgery isn't always the remedy, nor antibiotics or other western treatments.

And not everyone responds well to certain western modalities either. Some folks are allergic to antibiotics. Others just hate the very idea of needles...

Having the availability of Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic treatments, Western medicine, Chiropractic, etc., etc. is giving us a choice.

If your only tool is a hammer, you try to fix every problem with a nail. Sometimes a nail IS the correct choice. But not always.

[northernjohn]

Have used them off and on for many years both here and in Canada. Not much success. this last time it did help me with my neuropathy. Also the wife went for the first time and she has been hospitalized three times for a constant dizziness. It worked like a charm for her. Can't say as I remember any real pain inserting the needles but they did for me hook up electrodes then turn them up until I tell them no more. The wife just got a few needles in her head no electricity.

[daoyai]

"for most people it's an effective tool" no, it is not.... acupuncture has been added due to the fact it is cheaper to send someone to an alternative med clinic than to have them wasting the expensive time and resources of medical staff. Medecin is a business and alt. med saves the insurance companies money.

[FolkGuitar]

"for most people it's an effective tool" no, it is not.... acupuncture has been added due to the fact it is cheaper to send someone to an alternative med clinic than to have them wasting the expensive time and resources of medical staff. Medecin is a business and alt. med saves the insurance companies money.

How does this explain why so many of today's Health Clinics have ADDED acupuncturists to their staff?

More and more modern 'wellness' clinics have full medical services now, including MDs, OBGYN, Dentists, Chiropractors, Acupuncturists, Physical Therapists, etc., on their staff so that more physical problems can be addressed IN-HOUSE rather than making referrals.

Personally, I find that, for the types of problems that are best served by Chinese Medicine (be that acupuncture, herbals, or a combination of the two,) that I get better results, and more quickly, than if I were to try to treat the same problems with western medicine. But... Chinese medicine is far MORE expensive than even going to Chiang Mai Ram for treatments, certainly not cheaper. But very, very effective.

No... it can't cure the common cold, and it doesn't treat a broken arm... but then, you don't go to an OBGYN when you have a toothache. You go to the medical professional who can best deal with the problem.

[terminatorchiangmai]

I had a very good experience but i made an appointment with an English speaking Doctor.

My shoulder was hurting me a lot , and last year some doctor at Ram gave me a lot of medicine and cortisone shots.

After 4 months and 30.000 bath it still wasn't gone and the medicine made me crazy and aggressive.

Finally after i stopped seeing him it went away by itself

This year had the same problem , but i went to Mungkal on advise of a friend.

The Doctor spoke very good English during the intake interview.

This time i was healed in one month for only 5000.- THB.

Rooms have a fan in it and are not to hot , just give it a try.

Good luck.

[mluberti]

Been getting acupuncture since 1973. It is not a same every time mechanical procedure. Some needles hurt, Some don't. sometimes I get fast 100% relief, sometimes not. Healing is not an exact science. But Chinese medicine has been developing for over 4,000 years at least.

One acupuncturist, an American women, in restoring my kidney chi, turned my hair from grey back to blond (kidney affects hair in TCM). That was when I was 60 years old. Now 66 still with very blond youthful looking hair.

Having an open mind opens many doors.

[amexpat]

On 5/22/2016 at 8:42 AM, mluberti said:

........ But Chinese medicine has been developing for over 4,000 years at least.

.....Having an open mind opens many doors.

 

4,000 years and never shown to be effective.

 

Open mind good.  Empty head, not so much.

[amexpat]

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