From Abracadabra to Zombies
reader comments: acupuncture
18 April 2015
My choices were simple: Have the hemorrhoids removed every six months, take prescription laxatives, take cholesterol drugs, eat nothing but fruit and vegetables and seeds, and have varicose veins operated on or visit an acupuncture doctor 8 times.
reply: Simple? No sitz baths? No gentle dry cleaning with smooth toilet paper after defecation? According to the experts at Harvard:
Traditionally, hemorrhoids are associated with chronic constipation, straining during bowel movements, and prolonged sitting on the toilet — all of which interfere with blood flow to and from the area, causing it to pool and enlarge the vessels.
I understand why laxatives might help some folks with this problem, but I don't understand the cholesterol connection or the dietary restrictions you mention.
Results: digestion is tremendously improved, hemorrhoids are normal, circulation is better (no varicose veins, acne cleared) hair growth accelerated, cholesterol is lower (I eat at least 3 burgers a week), energy levels increased, sleeping better. The list goes on.
reply: Fantastic! Just eight acupuncture treatments and you have better digestion, normal hemorrhoids, better circulation, elimination of varicose veins and acne, plus the added bonus of accelerated hair growth. Your energy level has increased and you're sleeping better. All thanks to acupuncture. You should become a poster child for the Acupunture Society of America. I'd stick with the program if I were you.
Sorry you don't "believe" but it works because we are treating the causes, not just the symptoms. No western medicines that have side effects, no surgery, no recuperation time, no special diet. It is a 5000 year old science.
reply: You're sorry I don't "believe" what? That hemorrhoids are due to an imbalance of yang energy of the Du Mai meridian? That sticking needles in various points on your body will relieve hemorrhoids, eliminate varicose veins and acne, and make hair grow faster? I don't doubt that sticking needles in my body would give me more energy for a short time. Using all that excess energy might wear me out, helping me sleep better. But if so, I would not believe these things had anything to do with imbalances of yin or yang energy. Nor would I believe that sticking needles into me along imaginary meridians restores harmony and balance to chi.
Nor do I believe Ana-Carolina Beth's claim that she could cure what ails you in one minute with her special approach to acupunture. But if things start to disintegrate, you might given Ms. Beth a call.
You may publish this with my name.
Douglas Williamson Boynton Beach, FL
reply: Keep eating those burgers! You may be on to something exciting in the medical world: hemorrhoids are simply anal acne and you know the cure!
__________
23 Feb 2010
I hurt my back lifting a suitcase. My doctor suggested
acupuncture which I tried once and then cancelled the remaining
5 appointments. While lying face down a tired and bored looking
young "acupuncture" person stuck 5 needles in me, 2 in my lower
back which did not hurt. Then she stuck 1 needle in the back of
my knee which hurt, then 1 needle in the side of my Achilles
tendon near my ankle bone. To complete the job she stuck 1
needle in my other ankle. My left Achilles heel hurt and still
hurts 2 weeks later. Also, I did not feel any use of alcohol on
my skin before sticking needles in me. Also, my back doesn't
feel any better. So that's my story. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely, Tom
reply: Thanks for your story, Tom. There are probably millions of similar stories out there. Of course, there are also millions of contrary stories out there as well. That's the problem with using stories to try to prove anything. Anecdotal evidence is of no value in proving or disproving the effectiveness of acupuncture (or of science-based medicine, for that matter). Most people, however, find stories more important than scientific studies, if only because most people are completely ignorant of those studies. Very few of us have come to our beliefs about medical treatments on the basis of actually reading scientific studies. We assume our doctors have read the studies and we trust our doctors until they fail us, but most of our beliefs about effective medicine comes from personal experience. Unfortunately, personal experience is often a bad guide.
Typically, we reason that if we got better after a treatment, the treatment caused us to get better. We're often wrong in this assumption. Just because one thing happens after another doesn't mean the one caused the other. Many people think grandma's chicken soup cures the common cold because two weeks of the treatment and the cold always goes away. Of course, the cold would have run its course in two weeks if we'd done nothing, but we conveniently ignore that fact.
It's a pretty safe bet that a treatment is ineffective if you don't improve or get worse after the treatment, though some treatments might have a temporary negative effect followed by a permanent positive effect. The rabies shot may be painful but the long-term effect is worth it.
This might be a good place to point out the difference between an example and anecdotal evidence. The example of the rabies shot is not intended to support the claim that rabies shots are effective. That's already known. The example is given to illustrate the point that sometimes a painful treatment is followed by a positive result. If a story about a painful acupuncture treatment is given to demonstrate that acupuncture is bogus, then the story is more than an illustration of what can sometimes happen in acupuncture: it's offered as evidence. If it's the only evidence one has to offer to support the claim that acupuncture is bogus, then it is insufficient evidence and you've drawn a hasty conclusion. The fact that one is absolutely sure the acupuncture did them no good and caused them some harm is of little importance in establishing the effectiveness of acupuncture. Not only is a single case insufficient evidence, but there are other possibilities that you might consider. Perhaps you went to an incompetent acupuncturist, for example.
In any case, the most obvious reason anecdotes are rather pointless in trying to prove that something like acupuncture is effective or not is that for every positive story there is a negative one that cancels it out. Even so, since most people don't read scientific studies, stories are more effective in influencing people's beliefs. Given the powerful effects on belief of compelling stories and personal experiences, and given the fact that stories are weak evidence and personal experiences are often misinterpreted and misunderstood, it is a wonder that any of us end up with correct beliefs about anything. In fact, many people end up with false beliefs shared by millions of others. The few who do the science, or read the scientific papers, or study the writings of scientists about the scientific research have a very difficult time convincing those who rely on anecdotes and personal experience that they're wrong. In fact, many people build elaborate defenses of their erroneous beliefs rather than submit to the scientific evidence. Some think this is largely driven by a response to cognitive dissonance. I don't. I've written several articles that try to explain why people believe things they should know aren't true, so I won't repeat myself here.
further reading
Evaluating Personal Experience
Why Do People Believe in the Palpably Untrue?
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