[Johann Mahne]

 There are supposedly acupuncture meridians that run through the body.
Different parts of the body are connected by these meridians.
For example,the back is somehow connected to the hand through these meridians and this affects your "chi".
Many people believe this stuff works.
 But how could applying acupuncture in someone's hand help their back problem?
 Has any research been done on this ?

[Bored chemist]

"Is acupuncture a gimmick?"
yes or no, it depends on the definition of gimmick. Personally I think it is.
"Has any research been done on this ?"
yes
"Many people believe this stuff works.
 But how could applying acupuncture in someone's hand help their back problem?"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo

[scientoast]

newbielink:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4493011.stm [nonactive]

[Airthumbs]

I went to have accupuncture in Wales for a back problem, at that time this treatment was and most likely still is prescribed by the National Health Service.

Having gone several times my final visit I was full of cold.... the Dr had developed a technique whereby they would treat several people at the same time which would involve leaving patients alone for up to twenty minutes at a time with all these needles hanging out of various pressure points!  This would not have been so bad if it were not for the fact I started to have a coughing fit!!  For about five minutes, every time I coughed felt like someone running razor blades up by back and buttocks where the needles where. For some reason I decided that calling out was not appropriate so I just lay there dreading the next cough!

Following this treatment I moved to England where I had a cat scan of my back that showed I had a slipped disc, torn ligament, an extra vertebrae, or rather half of one, and a extra bit at the base that should normally be fixed but in my case is mobile.

Does acupuncture work?  Well maybe for some things but......... ouch!

[Bored chemist]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4493011.stm

Which says, among other things
"Professor Henry McQuay, professor of pain relief at the University of Oxford and member of the Bandolier group that looks at the evidence behind different medical treatments, said: "The great bulk of the randomised controlled trials to date do not provide convincing evidence of pain relief over placebo."
though it is headlined "Acupuncture 'more than a placebo"

Airtumbs, I'm reminded of a Dilbert cartoon where Dogbert, playing at being a doctor, tells all the patients in the waiting room "I turbocharged the Xray machine and pointed it this way. Wait 10 minutes then go home. I will post you the results".
Then he goes back to his office saying "It was genius to schedule all the hypochondriacs at the same time.

[Airthumbs]

Close your eyes and wait five minutes....  []  I am glad I scheduled all of the hypos in the same hour......  (I had to look it up and found it!)

"NOTE: Sometimes it is necessary to suspend disbelief for the purpose of creating comic situations."  http://search.dilbert.com/search?p=Q&srid=S3-USWSD02&lbc=dilbert&ts=custom&w=xray&uid=89176783&method=and&isort=date&view=list&filter=type%3acomic&srt=6

 []

[Don_1]

Accupuncture?

It give me the needle!

[RD]

There are supposedly acupuncture meridians that run through the body.
Different parts of the body are connected by these meridians.
For example,the back is somehow connected to the hand through these meridians and this affects your "chi".

Sounds like a medieval attempt to describe the nervous system,
(e.g. nerves in your hand are connected to your back). 

[yanna]

For me its not a gimmick. I have been a fan of acupuncture since it helped me to get rid of my acne. I've been suffering for that for months and when I underwent for a couple of acupuncture treatments in LINK REDACTED I've noticed a gradual change in my face. Some of my acne are no longer visible! That's why I'm happy that I have tried it.


Link removed as it appeared that you have a connexion with the practitioner in questions - moderator

[Don_1]

For me its not a gimmick. I have been a fan of acupuncture since it helped me to get rid of my acne. I've been suffering for that for months and when I underwent for a couple of acupuncture treatments in SPAMMY LINK I've noticed a gradual change in my face. Some of my acne are no longer visible! That's why I'm happy that I have tried it.

I wonder if perchance you might be said acupuncturist, or maybe in his employ???

[Devilmunkey]

The so-called ‘meridian’ energy lines of the body have never been scientifically described, documented or measured. They would appear to be simply another missappropriation of the word and concept of ‘energy’ that is common to the woo community in providing pseudoscientific explanations for their various crafts.

A wealth of clinical, blinded and controlled studies have shown acupunture to be no better at treating conditions than placebo. Furthermore, the use of dummy acupuncture (that is, using fake needles, or real needles but not in the supposed correct area for the condition being treated) has been shown to be just as effective, which further suggests that meridians are either not present or not involved in any process which acupunture suppossedly employs.

(I do not currently have a copy of that particular study but if I come across it it I will subsequently post it)
So in my (humble) oppinion, yes acupunture is a gimmick.

[Devilmunkey]

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine
Sham Acupuncture May Be as Efficacious as True Acupuncture: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials
http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2008.0356 [nofollow]

(not my first port of call for credable papers on CAM in gerneral but a suprisingly fair trial overall)

[CliffordK]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4493011.stm

http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2008.0356

It is interesting the difference in the two summaries.
Essentially the first study indicates that there may be some efficacy of poking a person with needles.
The second study indicates that it might not make any difference where one pokes the needles. 

So, one might as well poke oneself in an easily accessible place.  Perhaps the arms. 

[Devilmunkey]

Yes my thoughts exactly, there has also been developed a sham needle (I think Sciencedirect has the article), which essentially looks just like the usual needles employed but with no penetration of the skin. Tests of this device seemed to suggest that the majority of participants were unable discern that they had not been treated with an actual needle.

I believe there is actually an off-shoot of the practice called acupressure, which employs the use of the hands. So it would also seem that both the specific area of application and the needles themselves are surplus to requirements.

I would say that this calls into question the whole notion of meridians and indeed the philosophy(?) behind acupunture. I actually believe that as with the majority of CAM practices, the time and attention the patient receives from the practioner is the important factor involved in making the patient feel an improvement. This would certainly involve the placebo effect and would also appear efficacious in the case of self-limiting conditions.

[Sprool]

I went for a course of acupuncture with an open and interested mind. I had a chronic joint pain in my elbow related to tension playing a musical instrument. I can vouch that the needles did penetrate the skin as it stung and they hung off my flesh for 20 minutes.
Did it help? No. not a bit, and I really wanted it to. What helped was a series of stretching and twisting exercises after the treatment course that seemed to get the joint a bit more settled again. Physio 1: Acupuncture 0

[Charlie_Power]

Hi all,

My wife is receiving acupuncture treatment for her migraines and we are starting to see some benefits.
Its really about promoting more blood flow and circulation throughout the whole body.
Perhaps there is a build up of blood around the spinal cord and acupunture may be able to relieve this and stimulate normal levels of blood flow.
My advice would be to try it for yourself and see if it works personally for yourself.

Good luck!  []