Does acupuncture actually work?

We’ve touched on this topic over in the Health forum before. If anyone is interested, I highly recommend checking out this summary.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...415&query_hl=2

In short, when it comes to preventing migraines, acupuncture doesn't perform any better than just sticking needles into random parts of your body. 😁

shadowfalcon33 said:Basically, acupuncture (for preventing migraines) is about as effective as just sticking needles into random parts of your body. 😁

You can say that again, man. 😢

I once—purely by accident, mind you—shot myself through both testicles with a harpoon.

The headaches vanished instantly.

The penile pain? Not so much.

And ever since then, I swear my growth spurt just... took off.

It only recently leveled out.

Now it looks like a freaking baobab tree.
Forty meters high and thirty wide. 😢

shadowfalcon33 said:Basically, using acupuncture to stop migraines is about as effective as just sticking needles into random spots on your body and hoping for the best. 😁

That’s not to say acupuncture itself is useless across the board. But when you're dealing with something like headaches—which are entirely subjective experiences anyway—it really shouldn't come as a shock that the "study" results look the way they do.

crimsonbison10 said:That doesn't mean acupuncture isn't useful in general, though. Given the nature of what they're testing—headaches, which are pretty subjective anyway—it’s not really surprising how the "study" turned out...

Exactly. And honestly, if acupuncture is just acting as a "trigger" for the placebo effect in certain cases like migraines, there's nothing wrong with that. I'd much rather lean on a placebo than swallow pills that mess with your system (I know sometimes you have no choice, but still...). Anyway, crimsonbison10—it's actually "in light of," not just "considering"—little grammar slips like that drive me a bit crazy... saw the same thing in an AAA newsletter recently...😉>

dustycanyon6 said:By the way, crimsonbison10—it’s "in light of," not just "light of"—and honestly, seeing people butcher the language like that is starting to get under my skin. I even spotted a similar slip-up in a recent newsletter from AAA. 😉

Once I finally wrap up this Master's thesis, I'll send a copy your way for proofreading. But until then, I'm not going to burn through all my energy arguing over grammar on the internet.😵
just relax😁

crimsonbison10 said:That doesn't mean acupuncture isn't effective in general. Given the nature of the disorder—headaches being highly subjective—it’s hardly surprising what the results of a "study" like this would look like.

True, it doesn't. However, I should point out that this isn't the only condition where acupuncture has shown proven efficacy.

I also think you're slightly underselling migraines. While laypeople often use the term loosely to describe all kinds of headaches regardless of cause or intensity, a migraine is a debilitating pain accompanied by specific symptoms and clinical signs.

shadowfalcon33 said:Sure, it doesn't mean it works for everyone. But look, I’m just pointing out that migraines aren't the only condition where acupuncture has actually shown some real results.

Also, I think you're underselling what a migraine actually does to a person. People use the word "headache" for everything from a dull ache to a pounding mess, but a true migraine? That's a different beast entirely. It comes with its own set of symptoms and physical signs that make it way more than just a bad headache.

Of course. It’s been shown to be effective for a whole range of other issues too, whether we're talking about psychosomatic stuff or even just speeding up recovery after surgery. In my view, there are just so many variables at play with acupuncture. There's always this individual factor involved—some kind of unique variable that explains why it might work wonders for one person while doing absolutely nothing for someone else.

And honestly, thank God I've only had to deal with a few migraines in my life, though one of them was particularly brutal. If a milder version of that hit someone with a low pain tolerance, they'd probably describe it the same way I described my last bout. At the end of the day, pain is incredibly subjective.

Certain foods can trigger migraines in some people—things like chocolate or red wine.MSG (especially MSG; I’d suggest checking the labels on seasonings, soups, canned goods, etc.).

For instance, McCormick contains MSG, and around here, people basically throw it on everything.
Maybe try cutting back on McCormick.
My husband used to get migraines from anything containing MSG, and ever since we stopped using it, his migraines have vanished.

So, you really have to pay attention to that. You can't just gorge on chocolate every day and expect acupuncture to work miracles.

I’ve been dealing with these killer migraines since I was in 8th grade, and yeah, it runs in my family.
The triggers are a total nightmare: alcohol kills me—I’ll have half a beer and within thirty minutes the pain starts creeping in, plus cheap store-bought spirits and liqueurs are a huge no-go, though for some weird reason, homemade moonshine doesn't mess with me? Same goes for bottled wine, but certain local brands seem fine, whatever.
Then there's food: if the beans aren't cooked long enough, or if the corn isn't perfectly roasted, I'm done for. On the flip side, chocolate is basically my holy grail.

ZOsvald said:I've been dealing with migraines since middle school. It runs in the family.
Triggers include: alcohol (starts hitting me about thirty minutes after half a beer; cheap spirits and liqueurs seem to be the issue, though maybe not homemade moonshine??), bottled wine (but apparently certain local brands are fine??),
food: undercooked beans, poorly roasted corn, chocolate actually seems okay.

Obviously, what triggers a migraine is highly individual. Everyone's different.

I have to disagree with you there. That study only looked at a sample of 300 people. In my own experience, I know far more individuals who have successfully lost weight or quit smoking through acupuncture. As for migraines? For me, nothing works better than massaging specific acupressure points or stimulating the ones on my feet with ice water.😉

shadowfalcon33 said:Basically, using acupuncture to prevent migraines is no more effective than just sticking needles into random spots on your body.😁

And honestly, this specific part really cracked me up.👍 😁

randomly selected body parts

Is that even a thing?😁
Because if it actually exists... man, that's just straight-up twisted.😁

The World Health Organization actually recommends acupuncture, noting its effectiveness for various conditions, including migraines and different types of neuralgia. In the US, practice is generally restricted to licensed medical doctors. Clinical studies performed on animals have demonstrated that the analgesic effects of acupuncture are not merely a placebo effect. Roughly 80% of migraine sufferers respond well to this treatment.
By the way, acupuncture has found its niche in veterinary medicine as well; many US veterinarians incorporate it into their practice. While it isn't a cure for tumors or malignant diseases, it is highly successful at managing painful syndromes. Since most migraines are chronic, treatment is ongoing—patients typically require an annual course of 8 to 10 sessions. Migraines are often linked to hormonal shifts, such as puberty or menopause. Given that one theory suggests acupuncture works through the humoral system—essentially via the blood—it makes sense that it is particularly effective for these types of ailments.👍 😎

ironowl13 said:I couldn't disagree more if I tried. That study only looked at like 300 people, which isn't much at all... personally, I know way more folks who have actually used acupuncture to drop some weight or finally kick the smoking habit... and when it comes to migraines, just massaging certain pressure points or even hitting those spots on your feet with ice water does wonders for me.😉

Look, if you find the right person to hit those pressure points for you, I'm totally convinced it can fix just about anything...😉 Though I've gotta say, I'm not so sure about that foot thing... maybe that whole ice water trick works better for women or something...

Pallas said:We actually touched on this over at HealthHub. For anyone interested, I’d definitely suggest digging through this summary.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...415&query_hl=2

The gist of it? Acupuncture—specifically for migraine prevention—doesn't seem to perform any better than just sticking needles into random spots on your body. 😁

Though, to be fair, it doesn't always have to involve actual needles. There is such a thing as non-invasive acupuncture—the kind where you aren't being poked with anything at all.

🙂