Acupuncture works, one way or another
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/11/health/health-acupuncture/index.html?hpt=hp_bn12
I have had bad feet for quite a few months this year (plantar fasciitis) and was persuaded to go to an acupuncturist after my wife had successful results treating her shoulders (after nearly a decade of useless treatment, she is nearly cured after a handful of needle visits). I am very happy to report that after just a few sessions I am finally able to go on long walks and even jog again. A huge change from being so crippled by pain each morning that it took 5 minutes of stretching just to walk without tears coming to my eyes. Based on what I have read, modern science has no good explanation for why this would work, other than the placebo effect. Well, as I have mentioned before, the ‘placebo’ effect is actually real and quite measurable. People’s brain chemistry changes, swelling goes down and measurable physiological effects are observed. All with stuff with no drugs (and even when people are told they are getting a placebo). As such, I don’t care if it really “doesn’t work” because it works for me.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the placebo effect. The only problem, which exists also with “real” anaesthetics, and perhaps hypnosis, is to ensure that one doesn’t further damage things because the pain isn’t serving as an adequate warning.
I hadn’t given thought to that. I recall long ago in my youth that weight lifters used to take anesthetics before lifts and as a consequence could destroy their bodies because the no longer had any pain to tell them when they were doing something dangerous.
Pain is just nature’s way of telling you to slow down…