I am sure my husband and I were probably the only people up this morning listening to Radio Health Journal on WEEI at 6am but when he mentioned they were doing a sound bit on acupuncture, I had to log in and listen. Mr. R. Barker Bausell was the feature speaker on “snake oil science” and how complementary alternative medicine (CAM)/acupuncture is exactly that. He stated that acupuncture is only a placebo effect and that no argument or research has disproven that sufficiently in the eyes of the Western Medical community. Up next on the show were three other gentlemen who were quick to explain the many reasons why CAM/acupuncture is not all about placebo. The NIH has designated many millions of dollars to universities and NESA to research this exact issue. What has been found from the current research has been interesting. Dr. Langevin at UNH is demonstrating the connective tissue responses to acupuncture, the Harvard Osher Institute and NESA are researching sham acupuncture and it’s validity, and the use of the PET scan is demonstrating target response areas of the brain after acupuncture has been done in the foot. Slowly but surely, acupuncture is honestly trying to fit into the double-blind study frame of research but it is difficult to do this flawlessly due to the true energetic nature of the medicine itself. The bottom line is this: If you feel acupuncture is working for you and your pain situation, then continue to do so. You are not alone. Many of us out there are finding acupuncture beneficial as it releases the body’s natural endorphins to decrease our pain so we don’t have to turn to opiates and other possibly harmful solutions. If for no other reason, licensed acupuncturists are holistic in thinking and enjoy looking at the body as a whole to solve the main complaint at hand. Give acupuncture a try and I think you will find the same thing millions of others have found: it works.
Marlborough Wellness Center, Marlborough, MA
Acupuncture, Massage and other modalities in Marlborough MA