If you want to do good with a needle, go to the blood bank, at least there you can see that the needle does someting, and you have a reasonable guarantee that it will go to someone who needs it.
A quote from a fun little fact paper by Harriet Hall M.D.:
“There were originally 360 acupuncture points (based on the number of
days of the year rather than on anatomy). Currently more than 2000
acupuncture points have been ‘discovered,’ leading one wag to com-
ment that there was no skin left that was not an acupuncture point.
There were either 9, 10, or 11 meridians—take your pick. Any number
is as good as another, because no research has ever been able to docu-
ment the existence of acupuncture points or meridians or chi. Acupunc-
ture has been shown to ‘work’ to relieve pain, nausea, and other subjective
symptoms, but it has never been shown to alter the natural history or course
of any disease. Studies have shown that acupuncture releases natural opioid pain
relievers in the brain: endorphins. Veterinarians have pointed out that loading a horse into a trailer or throw-
ing a stick for a dog also releases endorphins. Probably hitting yourself on the thumb with a hammer would
release endorphins too, and it would take your mind off your headache.”
My favourite endorphin high is from really hot, spicy food. Yum…
(Yes I can actually discern a very slight “high” from eating really hot stuff)
i get a high from getting tattoed. hurts like a bitch, but you feel like great afterwards.
U a masochist? ouch! ;D
Interesting discussion.
Some time ago I read a really brilliant book called “Trick or Treatment” written by the world’s first prof of complementary medicine, Edzard Ernst and a physicist/science writer, Simon Singh.
Ernst is based at the Univ of Exeter in the UK and is trained as an MD and used to practice homeopathy. His most important contribution has been an ongoing quest to scientifically investigate the various flavours of complementary medicine. He seems to be one of those rare birds who can change his mind after following the evidence (in this case, the results of double-blind placebo controlled trials).
Ernst and Singh review all the published evidence for alternative medicine, and their conclusions are strongly worded:
While there is tentative evidence that acupuncture might be effective for some forms of pain relief and nausea, it fails to deliver any medical benefit in any other situations and its underlying concepts are meaningless. With respect to homeopathy, the evidence points towards a bogus industry that offers patients nothing more than a fantasy. Chiropractors, on the other hand, might compete with physiotherapists in terms of treating some back problems, but all their other claims are beyond belief and can carry a range of significant risks. Herbal medicine undoubtedly offers some interesting remedies, but they are significantly outnumbered by the unproven, disproven and downright dangerous herbal medicines on the market.
These guys take no prisoners! Singh was sued for libel by the British Chiropractic Association. The case has since been dropped.
naw… not that bad. at least i dont go compete in triathlons or run the comrades. THAT’S masochistic.
tattoos are painfull in three stages. the actuall tattoo-ing where the needle punctures your skin to insert the ink. then afterwards, when it’s kinda burny kinda tight. then when the scabs come off, its itchy as hell, but you cant scratch.
all worth it though.
Acupuncture is a real science
In order to be licenced and legally practice acupuncture in South Africa, you need a 5 year BSC degree obtained from the university of the Western cape.
Anyone that does not have this degree or a acreedited diploma obtain in another country may not legaly practice acupuncture.
There are a lot offakes out there.
I dont think the University of the Western Cape would present a 5 year BSC degree if acupuncture was a myth.
PS Acupuncture has been very helpful in the traetment of ailments found in pets (which blows the pseudo effect idea out of the water)
Acupuncture can be very effective for a vast array of ailments.
I remember watching an episode of The Dog Whisperer during which a dog was treated to a session, but I cannot recall if it yelped at all.
Why do you feel that acupuncture is a science?
Mintaka
In order to be licenced and legally practice acupuncture in South Africa, you need a 5 year BSC degree obtained from the university of the Western cape.
You could of course also do a degree in Homeopathy…
http://www.uj.ac.za/EN/CoursesProgrammes/Courses/Pages/HomeopathyDegree.aspx
Or Chiropracty…
I’ve even heard some places offer degrees for Sangoma’s!
Or if that isn’t your thing, just go do a Masters in Theology.
These are a few of the things you can get degreed in, and I still think they’re baloney. Therefore, “You can study it” doesn’t make it true.
Can you recommend a source where one could verify this info?
My dog told me so! Yeah yeah yeah!! How many meridians does a dog have? A cat or a horse?
When the S/O buggered up the muscles in his back a month or so ago whilst plastering a wall, he received the “dry needling” treatment, now, the S/O is an agressive atheist and an outright skeptic, he came home from that session curdling with pain, but the next morning was good as new. Now, the analysis of the treatment leaves some open questions to us laymen, he was pounded, he was needled and then the muscles was plastered, there are three “treatments” here that could have been the healing catalist, which was it, or was it a combination? He is reluctant to refer to it as acupuncture (and I understand that entirely), he quizzed the doc about it before allowing the treatment, and in all honesty, I doubt he would have allowed the treatment if the doc couldnt base his reasons on solid scientific facts (the S/O does have medical background). Which leaves us exactly nowhere as to whether it really works or not.
I not-so-recently read a book called “Trick or treatment - Alternative medicine on trial” written by Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst. The latter author is the world’s first prof of complementary medicine and started off as a GP and then studied homeopathy. Ernst was enchanted by homeopathy and because he thought he was seeing results better than random, he started to do controlled studies. To his surprise and disappointment, the homeopathic rememdies in double blind placebo controlled trials were no better than the placebo. Ever since then he has been systematically testing the various flavours of CAM - acupuncture, iridology etc. etc.
Acupuncture is a tricky thing to test in double blind trials because it is virtually impossible for the practitioner to be fooled into thinking they are or aren’t sticking a needle into someone. The patient, however, can be tricked to a certain extent. In the control studies they used short needles that only penetrated the skin, whereas the “real” studies used proper long needles.
I can’t remember whether they tested dry needling versus traditional acupuncture using meridians, but the reults were that acupuncture was vaguely useful for certain types of pain and nausea, but the results were only slightly better than random.
Damn interesting book! http://www.trickortreatment.com/
The Health Professions Council of SA sets the qualification criteria for the various health professions. They are:
Dental therapy & oral hygiene Dietetics Emergency care Environmental health Medical & dental Medical technology Occupational therapy, medical orthotics / prosthetics & arts therapy Optometry & Dispensing Opticians Physiotherapy, Podiatry & Biokinetics Psychology Radiography & Clinical Technology Speech, Language & Hearing ProfessionsThe respective qualification criteria for each profession is given on the website.
The Allied Health Professionals Council is a highly controversial body that gives status to pseudo-scientific medical practices. They have their own registration requirements:
Qualifications required for registration in diagnostic allied health professions:Chiropractic and Homeopathy: Five year full time Masters Degree as currently offered at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and Durban University of Technology (DUT).
Homeopathy for Medical Doctors: Postgraduate Diploma in Homeopathy as currently offered at the South African Faculty of Homeopathy.
Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Naturopathy, Phytotherapy and Unani-Tibb: Three year Basic Medical Sciences with a two year specialisation in one of the above as currently offered at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
There are currently no accredited courses available in South Africa for Ayurveda and Osteopathy.
Qualifications required for registration in therapies:
Therapeutic Aromatherapy, Therapeutic Massage Therapy and Therapeutic Reflexology are 240 credit qualifications currently available at various accredited private providers, as listed under our Education page.
Splat is broadly right that you are required to study for five years at UWC in order to register as acupuncturist with the AHPC, though it involves a three year degree in basic medical sciences (which is not acupuncture), followed by what seems to be a two year diploma in acupuncture.
The problem here is that universities presenting such courses and an institution recognized by the state give these practices perceived legitimacy. That is why people like Splat are deceived into believing that
Acupuncture is a real science.In truth, these practices have no credible scientific foundation and have never been empirically proven to cure.
When suffering from my chronic headaches around a year ago, I went to a physiotherapist who, in addition to manipulating the top of the spine, used dry needling on every second visit.
I enjoyed the “sensation” of the needles but can’t honestly say that they made every second session more beneficial.
I eventually sought relief in a different needle…drugs injected into the space between C1 and C2…that worked…although the “sensation” was anything but pleasant!
ACUPUNCTURE has been shown to be extremely effective amongst people who have nothing wrong with them.http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/health/made%11up-medicine-works-on-made%11up-illnesses-201105313882/
;D ;D ;D