Anyone know a good acupuncturist?

I got very bad lumber disc bulging impingement sciatic never pain. After acupuncture treatment from Dr Charles, I had my pain relief instantly, My whole family member seen him whenever we need, Dr Charles treat my son eczema, my wife post-natal depression. we just love him for all good treatment. Dr Charles cai is “artist healing”. call him on 6162 0089

Erg0 said :

I may not understand the internal combustion engine, but I’m pretty confident that the people who develop and manufacture them can explain them, and even demonstrate exactly how they work if need be. It’s pretty arrogant of you to presume that people aren’t capable of telling the difference between science and magical claims.

That’s the exact opposite of what I’m presuming.

To elaborate further on my example, what I’m saying is, many people don’t know and – importantly – don’t care how an internal combustion engine works. The fact that it gets them where they need to go everyday reliable and safely is all that concerns them.

For me, it is the same with acupuncture (on the single series of occasions that I’ve had cause to use it). Esoteric discussions about whether it works for a population in general, and under what circumstances, are largely irrellevant to my internal cost-benefit analysis. Like the engine, it got me where I needed to go reliably and safely, and that’s all that concerns me.

I don’t know what kind of idiot I would need to be to find a treatment option that works very well for me, then read some anonymous internet posters citing research that it doesn’t work, and for me to think “well, I can sleep through the night for the first time in months thanks to acupuncture, but some dudes on teh internets say this treatmetn isn’t supported by science so I should stop paying for modestly priced remedial services and pay way more for anaelgeasics (sp?) which will give temporary relief at best and have annoying side effects”.

I mean seriously. FFS.

Not buying into the debate about efficacy, but have had some success with acupuncture. Daughter had shin-splints (notoriously difficult to treat) from playing hockey. Came back from a year abroad with quite a lot of pain. 2 sessions from a physiotherapist who is also a trained and experienced acupuncturist and the problem was GONE. And has not recurred in 4 years.

I have also gone to Alex Perry at Blue Sky and had some good results for the treatment of a stomach problem. An excellent practitioner was Hui Min Wang, but she has left Canberra.

Alderney said :

Science isn’t yet all knowing.

Science will never be all-knowing and doesn’t aim to be. But on a historical basis, you’d have to say it’s been pretty good at separating the wheat from the chaff up until now.

To those who have misinterpreted the OP’s question, science can’t explain why some people get cancers either. Doesn’t mean that what killed them is not a medical phenomenon.

Doctors may have an idea about how certain cancers kill people, and how they can attempt to treat the problem, but they have no idea of the cause. Doesn’t mean the person isn’t dying.

Science isn’t yet all knowing.

I had acupuncture for a back problem and all I know is that it relieved my pain and freed up my back for a period of time. Unfortunately, the lass that treated me is no longer in Canberra.

justsomeaussie said :

That’s the problem with these beliefs, like religion people think their personal feelings effect the truthiness of an outcome.

If you believe that blindly in science being the be all and end all of everything, it becomes like religion too. Funding decides which research is conducted and which is not, including the hypothesis they start from and in some areas of scientific research, peer review is completely absent. Plenty of so called scientific studies that are reported on by the media do not pass the criteria for being valid or significant either. But in the end, it’s all about money and therefor should always be taken with a large grain of salt and a healthy dose of skepticism. Sadly, you can’t really trust anyone these days.

Why would anyone care if someone wants to use acupuncture? Does it somehow offend you? Make your treatment choice less valid?

I took my 8yo semi-hypochondriac to the GP the other day. Her only symptoms were possible fever and a vague complaint about her body aching all over. Paid $75 for him to tell me: “Her ears are clear, her temp is normal, her throat is good and her chest is fine. I think she has a cold.” And advised me to keep her home the next day too because “She could’ve already infected someone”. With her imaginary symptoms. I might as well have taken her to a voodoo doctor. Would’ve probably been way more effective, especially if the treatment would’ve been painful.

DrKoresh said :

Sounds like your pain was most likely psychosomatic then, D_A.

Well, except for the fact that I’ve never had recurring pain – psychosomatic or otherwise – prior to this episode or since.

But full points for effort.

devils_advocate said :

Not everyone is arrogant enough to presume that the mere fact that they don’t understand something means it can’t work. Most people have a very poor understanding of the internal combustion engine but rely on it to get them to work every day.

I may not understand the internal combustion engine, but I’m pretty confident that the people who develop and manufacture them can explain them, and even demonstrate exactly how they work if need be. It’s pretty arrogant of you to presume that people aren’t capable of telling the difference between science and magical claims.

Monomyth said :

I don’t use acupuncture any more, but Ling Cao in Fisher was amazing and I loved it. She also does cupping and writes out receipts for Health Fund claims.

Please tell me which health funds pay for cupping so that I can avoid subsiding other people’s gullibility.

Haters: OP didn’t ask your thoughts on acupuncture in general, just if you knew of someone and you liked them.

I don’t use acupuncture any more, but Ling Cao in Fisher was amazing and I loved it. She also does cupping and writes out receipts for Health Fund claims.

Do you know what they call contemporary and alternative medicine that works? Medicine. Too bad no one has found it yet.

I think people are getting confused with dry needling as performed by a physio and the placebo effect as performed by a well meaning but dillusional scam artist.

Acupuncture has not stood up to any double blind trials. But before people get all defensive ask yourself this, if irrefutable evidence was posted here that it didn’t work, would you still believe it?

That’s the problem with these beliefs, like religion people think their personal feelings effect the truthiness of an outcome.

Thanks everyone. For those who made genuine suggestions – much appreciated. For those debating the efficacy or otherwise of the treatment itself – most interesting reading.

dungfungus said :

BellaK said :

Genie said :

Xiao Lu Li on Spalding st in Flynn. Runs her practice out of her home. Can’t recommend her enough

62598258

My work colleague has also said good things about Xiao Lu Li (he gets treatment for tennis elbow).

A local steroid injection in the left/right lateral epicondylitis is a lasting treatment for tennis elbow also.

Wrong. Less than 10% success rate at 12 months follow up. This is largely due to the fact there are no local inflammatory markers in lateral epicondylalgia. There is neural oedema but no actual inflammatory tenocytes. Lateral epicondylalgia is a degenerative process and not an inflammatory one – hence it isn’t called “lateral epicondylitis” anymore.
It also explains why the injection of choice for lateral epicondylalgia is autologous blood injection or platelat rich plasma.
Re: Michael at Erindale – that is Dry Needling which actually has hard, peer reviewed evidence supporting its use.

devils_advocate said :

ScienceRules said :

Yes, it means that four people don’t understand that most illness is self-limiting and have decided that this natural variation in their condition is a result of “traditional wisdom”. No mystery here.

Alternatively, it means that some people understand what is natural variation, and what other evidence can sustain a finding on the ‘balance of probabilities’, ockham’s razor, or whatever you want to call it. Not everyone is arrogant enough to presume that the mere fact that they don’t understand something means it can’t work. Most people have a very poor understanding of the internal combustion engine but rely on it to get them to work every day.

In my situation, 3 months of physio and drugs did nothing, acupuncture provided instant and lasting relief and no drug-induced side effects. If after suffering for 3 months and finding something that worked, I disregarded it on the basis there was no conclusive proof that it worked in the population at large or for all conditions in general, well then I would be an idiot. What matters to me is that it worked for me, and that is all.

Your presumption that everyone that finds something useful doesn’t understand the difference between causation and correllation si pretty stupid.

Sounds like your pain was most likely psychosomatic then, D_A.

ScienceRules said :

Yes, it means that four people don’t understand that most illness is self-limiting and have decided that this natural variation in their condition is a result of “traditional wisdom”. No mystery here.

Alternatively, it means that some people understand what is natural variation, and what other evidence can sustain a finding on the ‘balance of probabilities’, ockham’s razor, or whatever you want to call it. Not everyone is arrogant enough to presume that the mere fact that they don’t understand something means it can’t work. Most people have a very poor understanding of the internal combustion engine but rely on it to get them to work every day.

In my situation, 3 months of physio and drugs did nothing, acupuncture provided instant and lasting relief and no drug-induced side effects. If after suffering for 3 months and finding something that worked, I disregarded it on the basis there was no conclusive proof that it worked in the population at large or for all conditions in general, well then I would be an idiot. What matters to me is that it worked for me, and that is all.

Your presumption that everyone that finds something useful doesn’t understand the difference between causation and correllation si pretty stupid.

Acupuncture and the NHS

Use of acupuncture in the NHS is limited.

Most acupuncture patients pay for private treatment. The cost of acupuncture varies widely between practitioners. Initial sessions usually cost between £35 and £60, and further sessions between £25 and £50.

There is very limited traditional acupuncture provision within the NHS. A small number of BAcC members are funded by PCTs and GP consortia to provide free treatment, but unless you are fortunate enough to live within the catchment area of one of these groups or individuals there is not much we can offer.

I’m torn. Alex Perry at Blue Sky Clinic worked wonders for me on a particular problem, and it is documented that my improvements were measureable and drastic. However, I know that modern science by and large says there is no basis for it to work. I was and remain sceptical but at the same time, for my problem (which can’t be fixed by drugs etc) it definitely helped. Granted, the improvement lasted about 3 weeks before beginning to return to the previous state, but upoin returning to him I had the same result – 3 weeks of fantastic mobility followed by a gradual return to inflexibility.

Jivrashia said :

Source?

My source (BBC documentary) says SOME that the scientists and doctors are unable to say that it is a placebo, due to supporting evidence, but NO DOCTORS are ABLE to prove its effects scientifically.

Fixed it for you.

grunge_hippy said :

so why is acupuncture listed on the NHS in the UK if it is a sham?

Not biting, mate, or do you really think governments are infallible?

Bosworth said :

Acupuncture is a scam.

Source?

My source (BBC documentary) says that the scientists and doctors are unable to say that it is a placebo, due to supporting evidence, but are unable to prove its effects scientifically.

grunge_hippy said :

so why is acupuncture listed on the NHS in the UK if it is a sham?

I read ages ago that it was put on the NHS, along with homeopathy, to please a member of the royal family (probably the Queen Mum) who was a fan. Not that the royals used the NHS themselves. So its listing on the NHS has nothing to do with scientific or medical credibility.