How effective is acupuncture?

Question

Acupuncture is a puzzle to me.

I can accept that pressure/ needle applications on certain specific sites (chi energy or nerve nodes) can affect direct muscular/ organ responses via nerve electrical manipulation or swelling/ infection dissipation.

However claims for weight reduction and quiting tobacco smoking seem streched as these must surely have a large psychological component.

How can acupuncture affect what are often mind ailments?

Answer 1

it cannot effect mental ailments

Answer 2

Acupuncture works and it doesn't work. It can be effective for a few days or weeks but if you don't keep doing it, the sickness (imbalances) will eventually come back. Acupuncture is not a bad option if you need to alleviate pain right away, but for long term problems like weight reduction and tobacco quitting you need more than just acupuncture itself.

Answer 3

Surely you people have heard of the mind/body continuum.  What affects the body, affects the mind, affects the emotions, affects the spirit, affects all aspects of a person's being.  Emotions are chemical and electrical, too.  Many times weight gain or excess weight is caused by an imbalance in the endocrine system (ie, hypothyroid, issues w/ the thymus, pituitary or pancreas or other glands).  Acupuncture works very well to reset and rebalance the functioning of the endocrine system.  I am just about to go get some acupuncture for my diabetes.  I've got neuropathy in my feet, which is getting worse, and I want to see if it helps me.  I trust it will, b/c it has helped me greatly before with other aspects of my health.

Answer 4

Hi malancam55,

First, many acupuncturists will agree that acupuncture is a support mechanism for weight loss and smoking cessation.  It is not put in a "magic" needle and poof you lose weight/quit smoking.  You have to be willing to put forth the effort; the acupuncture will help by reducing the cravings, the stress, and the withdrawal symptoms.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, of which acupuncture is a component, addresses issues from a mind-body-spirit hypothesis.  What affects the mind affects the body affects the spirit, and you can mix and match those around.

Look at it from this one perspective.  When we are sick, or in pain, our drive, motivation, and emotions are also impacted (mind and spirit).  By resolving the physical we impact the mind and spirit.

By the same token, weight reduction and smoking often have physical components.  For instance, nicotine withdrawal creates physical changes within the body.  By reducing those symptoms, we can support the person during weight loss, or smoking cessation.

Answer 5

As about as effective as getting needles stuck in you!

Answer 6

One of the reasons acupuncture works is because. The points release and stimulates electro-chemicals in the brain, just like smoking? and it only uses the bodies own amount of chemicals to restore the balance. That's why there tends no side affects