Thanks, lexu. This type of thinking is where I'm currently at. It costs about as much as a massage and if the needles can convince the muscles to relax more than a massage does than that will be successful in my opinion. I'm not even 30 yet. There has to be something I can do.
Not entirely true -- the sensation from the needle peircing the skin is barely noticeable, but if the acupuncturist is doing it right, they'll hit an active "spot", and the pressure on that will hurt, that's the point. My wife is a doctor with a specialization in acupuncture. My understanding is that recent evidence shows that it does work, in particular for certain applications, menopause and for the treatment of the side effects of chemo, iirc. My wofe has done it on me to treat back and other pain, usually works, when it doesn't (like when I cracked a rib 2 years ago) it's usually because the injury is more severe. She also uses it to treat herself for migraines, and it generally works quite well. In her practice (she's a gp), she's found it particularly for menopause, but also for treating chronic pain. She's also had good results treating hayfever with it. Is it just a placebo effect? Maybe, but I think there is something more going on. And here's the thing to consider, horsey -- what's the alternative? Surgery? when push comes to shove, surgeons will tell you it's the way to go, especially if you have good health insurance. But studies are sowing that for back and knee surgeries, over the medium and long term, they aren't all that effective, either, offering short term relief, but sooner or later the problems come back. And there#s the impact the surgery, even if iit's done arthroscopically, has on the surrounding tissue it's a severe form of trauma and it takes it's toll. So wht to do? At least give acupuncture and physical therapy a try. You may end up having to go with surgery in the end, but I think it's worth it to explore realistic alternatives.
I had it once. I wouldn't really say it hurt. I mean, you feel it, but it seems generous to call that pain. Maybe that's just me, though.
It didn't really hurt, but I kept picturing what would happen if I rolled over. And like I said, it wasn't helping. I was highly skeptical of it anyway, it was just something a chiropractor wanted to try and I figured it couldn't hurt anyway. But I found it pointless and weird.
If what you want is a nice placebo effect, Lisa, don't give money to chiropractors/homeopaths/needle-people. PayPal me $10 and I'll send you my Magic Snake Oil: same effects, but the money goes to my pocket.
In fairness, a lot of chiropractors actually do legit physical therapy stuff and don't try to push stupid homeopathic crap on you. I finally managed to find one. It's just that there's really no way to fix my back without a third surgery that may well not work, as the other two never lasted either. Lisa, there can't be harm in trying it out though.
I think I'll let Vivec try all medical options possible to stop being in intense pain all the time before the age of 25 before I listen to his opinion on people wanting to try other things
About chiropractors, I will only say the following. They propose to, on a long term basis, "realign" bones that are in the first place connected by flexible ligaments. They do this by pushing really hard. With their hands. As it happens, though, there are ways to realign bones with brute force. The terms we use for these phenomena are things like "fracture" and "dislocation." They hurt. I hope you all can understand why I'm somewhat dubious. That said, so long as you understand their rationale is pretty crappy, go ahead and try it if it helps. If bizarre massages with a bunch of pseudo-science built around it help you, then by all means move forward with them. EDIT: To sj's, point people who are basically physical therapists but call themselves chiropractors are fine to me. What I'm trying to address up there are the core unique principles of chiropractic.
Snake oil and New Age ambience modulated by the Sonicrock soothes away the ills of reailty. Actually, reality itself.
My opinion is invalid because of my age and my lack of going to alt-med places? Well hello there, ad hominem! I guess I can't oppose sticking steak knives in my eyes to cure blindness because I've never tried it.
Apologies for the double post in advance: This is getting pointless. I've done what was required from me (from a scientific point of view at least). I presented the evidence to show that acupuncture is nothing beyond a placebo effect. It's now up to horsey to decide whether she wishes to, in light of this, go to the acupuncture place or not. My recommendation is no, and the scientific consensus right now is that it's pseudoscience at best. Arguing over whether I, personally, am able to say anything because i'm not 25 is irrelevant.
It sounds like she's going to try it out anyway, and there's really no harm in it. You've said your piece (provided evidence, whatever), and she has obviously chosen to not listen to you. No real harm done... if she wants to do it, she's going to do it. This doesn't really wreck your day, does it?
He's only really been responding insofar as people challenged A)his original statement or B)his authority to have made it. I suspect if no one had tried that, he shouldn't have posted even a second time at all.
Yeah, that's fine... I never said that he wasn't entitled make any statement or to back it up - people just aren't required to listen to him, that's all.
