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April 4, 2008, 3:16 am
Flag as Inappropriate Ryan  

Have anyone tried this treatment? A very old friend of mine has this disease of muscle control. He cannot control the muscles on the left part of his face. He went to a doctor in Thailand and gave him an acupuncture treatment. Now he looks healthier than the last time I saw him.

The western countries are starting to accept this kind of treatment but how does really work?

I know several people who have received acupuncture treatments for illnesses alopathic medicine could not help. A friend with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome improved by about 50% after acupuncture.

Some insurance will cover acupuncture, but not to the same extent as medicines and the like.

I think anything that is peripheral nervous system related could be helped by acupuncture.

From Wikipedia:

The effectiveness of acupuncture is unproven. The Cochrane Collaboration lists at least 16 condtions where it has no proven benefit:

Acupuncture for depression - There is insufficient evidence that acupuncture may be helpful with the management of depression

Acupuncture and related interventions for smoking cessation - Acupuncture and related therapies do not appear to help smokers who are trying to quit.

Acupuncture for Bell's palsy - inadequate to allow any conclusion about the efficacy of acupuncture

Acupuncture for schizophrenia - We found insufficient evidence to recommend the use of acupuncture for people with schizophrenia.

Acupuncture for epilepsy - No strong evidence for acupuncture as a treatment for epilepsy

Auricular acupuncture for cocaine dependence - The authors conclude that there is no evidence that any form of auricular acupuncture is effective for treating cocaine dependence.

Acupuncture for insomnia - there is a lack of high quality clinical evidence supporting the treatment of people with insomnia using acupuncture

Acupuncture for glaucoma - At this point, the effectiveness of acupuncture as a therapeutic modality for glaucoma could not be established

Acupuncture for chronic asthma - Current evidence has not shown an effect in favour of acupuncture compared with control treatment for asthma

Acupuncture for acute stroke - No clear evidence of benefit from acupuncture in acute stroke

Acupuncture for vascular dementia - There is no evidence from randomized controlled trials to determine whether acupuncture provides any effect when treating people with vascular dementia.

Acupuncture for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome - There is no evidence to support the use of acupuncture for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.

Acupuncture for stroke rehabilitation - No clear evidence of the effects of acupuncture on stroke rehabilitation

Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis - From the little evidence that there is, acupuncture does not appear to improve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

I've never tried it but if a person really struggles with a health problem and they want to try a more "natural" approach (rather than drugs)I'd be all for it.

It sounds like your friend has Bell's Palsy, paralyzation of half of the face.

I have used acupuncture at many stages of my life. I am a true believer in it's efficacy. It is my understanding that it changes the fields of energy that run through your body and congregate in certain points.

I think acupuncture works. There have been tests to see if it only works as mind over matter, if it works because people want it to work.

They have done acupuncture to animals and the animals' health have improved! That proves to me that it's not a placebo effect. The animals had no idea what was happening to them!

I just wish all health care companies would cover it.

Acupuncture works for MANY things. Had it not been for my finding a chiropractor who also does acupuncture, I have no doubt that I my mobility would be EXTREMELY limited, & / or in a wheel chair. I have a curvature of the spine and stenosis of ALL my lumbar disc. I was in terrible pain and the medical doctors told TOUGH! There is nothing we can do for you except pain medication. So I was promptly forced into medical retirement from Civil Service at the age of 52. I am able to work again, though not full time and thank God everyday for acupuncture and my chiropractor.

I, too, have heard testimonies from people who have tried acupuncture and it had helped them. The idea of being poked with needles scares me, but if you are in pain anyway, or if you know your problem can turn into a chronic condition that will limit your mobility, for example, I think many of us would go for it. It's better than giving up and accepting it.