Acupuncture: what the doctors think
26/02/12 10:25
Too often alternative (or complementary) medicines are opposed to conventional medicine; it is often assumed that doctors are generally against it. Not so; many doctors either practice some form of complementary medicine alongside their conventional practice, or recommend it to some of their patients.
Here are a few quotes from sometimes well known doctors or professors; most of these are from the British Medical Journal.
"In the current scientific context it is well established that a situation of initiative is health enhancing, while in adverse situations it is pathogenic to be in a state of submission when typically fighting or fleeing are impossible. Resorting to alternative medicine is to put oneself in a state of initiative. It is usually associated with the belief that the chosen modality of alternative medicine is valuable (belief that may be shared by the practitioner). It is therefore easy to explain how the combination of state of initiative and placebo effect can have positive effects undetectable via randomised controlled trials".
Dr Michel Oden
"Why do people seek alternative treatment? We have to acknowledge that modern medicine has failed to heal many diseases. Healing means cure and not just alleviation of symptoms. Cure means getting rid of an ailment or ailments leaving an intact body. Intact body means intact anatomy and function. Not all treatments are healers but all curatives are healers. We have to admit that modern treatments are not curatives in all cases.
The demand that a new and fresh approach to health and healing, unbound to Western Orthodox Medicine's specific approach to disease and treatment, be removed from scientific classification and research ignores the fact that there are areas of massive failure in Medicine (prevention, obesity, depression come to mind), and that three quarters of the Australian population turns to use these modalities even when they are costly and Medicine is massively subsidised.
We owe it to ourselves and our patients to understand why this happens, and what Complementary Medicine has to offer that we doctors are not providing. Our own Medicine has little more than a veneer of evidence-based respectability. We would do well to remember that we are all on a common path of science, and the goal of health care is not to be evidence-based, but to help those who seek our care using the broadest and best information available to us".
Mark Donohoe medical practitioner
Is one of the problems the catch all description "alternative medicine"? Herbal medicine, for example, certainly can work. For evidence of this we need only look at the law: some herbs are so effective that it is illegal to possess them. Marijuana will make you euphoric (and hungry), opium will dull the pain, deadly nightshade could kill you. With other practices categorised as "alternative medicine", it is less obvious. I have analysed several acupuncture trials, both against usual care and against sham acupuncture, and usually found evidence for effects".
Martin Bland professor of health statistic
Let us not forget that in 2006, that an estimated 7% of admissions to hospitals in the UK were due to the adverse effects of medications prescribed by doctors. We should be more humble and accept that there are other therapists that can heal or complement the work of the physician in the healing process.
If all these complementary and alternative are pseudoscience then are we conventional doctors practising science? Medicine is an art – it is the art of healing and involves both physical and emotional healing and takes into account knowledge of all aspects of environmental factors, which are often intertwined. This is what is meant by holistic or integrative medicine.
The skills that doctors have lost are the ability to listen and empathise with our patients due to outpatient clinics and GP surgeries being under severe time constraints resulting in a supermarket situation: get them in and out as quickly as possible with the minimum of communication addressing the patients concerns.
Why do patients go to complementary therapists in the first place? For exactly the reasons given above. They want to be listened to and their concerns understood. They don’t want a physician who hardly looks up from his computer and is only interested in extracting the prescription from the printer so he can get rid off this patient and move on to the next one in the queue. Remember the quotation of William Osler ‘care more for the individual patient than the special features of the disease’
As has already been pointed out much of our conventional medicine is not evidence based. As a practising oncologist, the treatment of malignant melanoma with the chemotherapy agent has never been shown to be superior to no treatment in pr longing survival. So before we attack other therapists for not being evidence based , we need to be sure that we are.
Henry Manning Oncology physician
Of course patients are at liberty to choose any healing modality they wish; that doctors wring their hands and lament this fact, is perhaps indicative of how far they have become a largely self-serving elite social class, rather than serving the needs of their patients. There seems little doubt that they have sown the seeds of their own unpopularity by a persistent refusal to acknowledge these holistic modalities, and their practitioners, for so long. Patients are voting with their feet and good luck to them.
It is hard to feel muchsympathy with scientific medicine; unless it wakes up and adapts to this grim reality, it will may soon be left with precious few patients to treat, which would again be a situation of its own making.
I will quote anonymously from an essay of one of my students about the root causes for the popularity of alternative medicine:
“…its recent growth…has been initiated from the ‘patient’ purely because of the dissatisfaction felt towards conventional medicine…conventional medicine does not recognise the subtlety of illness, because it universalises rather than individualises…the doctor automatically restricts the parameters of his work…something which proves very unsatisfactory to a patient…only the symptoms are treated not the causes….CAM therapists expect patients to collaborate in their treatment…[while] modern medicine loses sight of the patient as a whole being and reduces health to a mechanical functioning…”
Thus, it seems, far from being a situation of ‘wicked’ holistic therapists [‘quacks’ and ‘con-men’] luring patients from under doctor's noses [the operation of a ‘pull factor’], it is patients voting with their feet [a ‘push factor’], which seems to lie at the heart of this growing phenomenon. It therefore appears to be a process driven more by patients than by the holistic practitioners.
4. “Perhaps if more doctors qualified in the treatments known to be superior to placebo, such as homoeopathy and acupuncture, there would be less need for patients to consult other practitioners.”
This argument probably reflects a desire to stay in control of a monopolistic, authoritarian and centralised form of healthcare provision. That borders on a ‘control-freak’ tendency. It hysterically exaggerates the possible dangers of patient control of their own health, or any type of patient-driven health-care decision-making process - self-help. This is not only very undemocratic and illiberal, but borders on the paranoid. For goodness sake, give the people greater choice. Increasing numbers of patients believe their health is their own business and will choose anything they like - sometimes without even consulting a medical practitioner. GPs need to seriously ask why patients behave like this. Maybe they wish to negotiate their treatment, rather than have it thrust at them dictatorially. The recent BMJ article on hidden patient agendas to some extent confirmed this trend
If physicians don’t like that, then they must adapt and become more willing [and more humble?] partners in a patient-driven healthcare delivery system.
As Dr. Pettigrew clearly demonstrates, in the above quote, some physicians don’t like it, and still have a very long way to go in grasping this point. It is another de-centralised feature of the holistic movement, which they will ignore at their own peril. While there are certain dangers in this more patient-driven form of healthcare, it is also clear that some patients find it very attractive. Primarily, it gives them greater control over their own health and less need to consult some unyielding authority figure, who is in the habit of saying ‘no’ more often than ‘yes’. And who has a resented mantra: ‘Doctor knows best’.
Would it not be better to allow entry of some of these holistic modalities into the hallowed ‘citadel of scientific truth’, recognise their better qualified practitioners and adopt them into healthcare provision as consultants? In that way, physicians could still retain a modicum of control of their patients - and healthcare delivery - and the consulting practitioners will also be happy. It could be a handsome arrangement from which all three sides benefit, including patients. Eager to breach this impasse and give patients greater choice, in the more enlightened medical practices in the UK, this is already happening, and, such enlightened physicians are not waiting for long-winded approval from RCTs, to give them what they and their patients want.
Peter Morrell Hon research associate history of medicine Stafford university
"We cannot accept any hypothesis as theory till it is proved by lab experiments and results be reproducible without ambiguity. However,debates will continue for better understanding of the
mechanism of actions of the medicines used for curing disease conditions. On the other hand, traditional medicines are used most often without proper experimental verifications and raise concerns among the scientific associations. Despite several review and meta-analysis on limitations of complementary medicine in modern medical world,large number
of people are using them since many centuries and will continue to use for their future generation. Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Yoga, Aromatherapy, Nutritional medicine, etc, are contributing in relieving symptoms in majority cases and curing underlying condition in some cases. The mechanism of actions of those medicines are ill-understood and therefore practioners are facing tough oppositions from scientific world. At times they suffer judicial actions as well. However, many governmental agencies are patronizing complementary medicines under certain cover of
supervisions.
There are several chronic disease conditions which can not be treated by modern medical support and often need consultation with complementary medical experts".
Here are a few quotes from sometimes well known doctors or professors; most of these are from the British Medical Journal.
"In the current scientific context it is well established that a situation of initiative is health enhancing, while in adverse situations it is pathogenic to be in a state of submission when typically fighting or fleeing are impossible. Resorting to alternative medicine is to put oneself in a state of initiative. It is usually associated with the belief that the chosen modality of alternative medicine is valuable (belief that may be shared by the practitioner). It is therefore easy to explain how the combination of state of initiative and placebo effect can have positive effects undetectable via randomised controlled trials".
Dr Michel Oden
"Why do people seek alternative treatment? We have to acknowledge that modern medicine has failed to heal many diseases. Healing means cure and not just alleviation of symptoms. Cure means getting rid of an ailment or ailments leaving an intact body. Intact body means intact anatomy and function. Not all treatments are healers but all curatives are healers. We have to admit that modern treatments are not curatives in all cases.
The demand that a new and fresh approach to health and healing, unbound to Western Orthodox Medicine's specific approach to disease and treatment, be removed from scientific classification and research ignores the fact that there are areas of massive failure in Medicine (prevention, obesity, depression come to mind), and that three quarters of the Australian population turns to use these modalities even when they are costly and Medicine is massively subsidised.
We owe it to ourselves and our patients to understand why this happens, and what Complementary Medicine has to offer that we doctors are not providing. Our own Medicine has little more than a veneer of evidence-based respectability. We would do well to remember that we are all on a common path of science, and the goal of health care is not to be evidence-based, but to help those who seek our care using the broadest and best information available to us".
Mark Donohoe medical practitioner
Is one of the problems the catch all description "alternative medicine"? Herbal medicine, for example, certainly can work. For evidence of this we need only look at the law: some herbs are so effective that it is illegal to possess them. Marijuana will make you euphoric (and hungry), opium will dull the pain, deadly nightshade could kill you. With other practices categorised as "alternative medicine", it is less obvious. I have analysed several acupuncture trials, both against usual care and against sham acupuncture, and usually found evidence for effects".
Martin Bland professor of health statistic
Let us not forget that in 2006, that an estimated 7% of admissions to hospitals in the UK were due to the adverse effects of medications prescribed by doctors. We should be more humble and accept that there are other therapists that can heal or complement the work of the physician in the healing process.
If all these complementary and alternative are pseudoscience then are we conventional doctors practising science? Medicine is an art – it is the art of healing and involves both physical and emotional healing and takes into account knowledge of all aspects of environmental factors, which are often intertwined. This is what is meant by holistic or integrative medicine.
The skills that doctors have lost are the ability to listen and empathise with our patients due to outpatient clinics and GP surgeries being under severe time constraints resulting in a supermarket situation: get them in and out as quickly as possible with the minimum of communication addressing the patients concerns.
Why do patients go to complementary therapists in the first place? For exactly the reasons given above. They want to be listened to and their concerns understood. They don’t want a physician who hardly looks up from his computer and is only interested in extracting the prescription from the printer so he can get rid off this patient and move on to the next one in the queue. Remember the quotation of William Osler ‘care more for the individual patient than the special features of the disease’
As has already been pointed out much of our conventional medicine is not evidence based. As a practising oncologist, the treatment of malignant melanoma with the chemotherapy agent has never been shown to be superior to no treatment in pr longing survival. So before we attack other therapists for not being evidence based , we need to be sure that we are.
Henry Manning Oncology physician
Of course patients are at liberty to choose any healing modality they wish; that doctors wring their hands and lament this fact, is perhaps indicative of how far they have become a largely self-serving elite social class, rather than serving the needs of their patients. There seems little doubt that they have sown the seeds of their own unpopularity by a persistent refusal to acknowledge these holistic modalities, and their practitioners, for so long. Patients are voting with their feet and good luck to them.
It is hard to feel muchsympathy with scientific medicine; unless it wakes up and adapts to this grim reality, it will may soon be left with precious few patients to treat, which would again be a situation of its own making.
I will quote anonymously from an essay of one of my students about the root causes for the popularity of alternative medicine:
“…its recent growth…has been initiated from the ‘patient’ purely because of the dissatisfaction felt towards conventional medicine…conventional medicine does not recognise the subtlety of illness, because it universalises rather than individualises…the doctor automatically restricts the parameters of his work…something which proves very unsatisfactory to a patient…only the symptoms are treated not the causes….CAM therapists expect patients to collaborate in their treatment…[while] modern medicine loses sight of the patient as a whole being and reduces health to a mechanical functioning…”
Thus, it seems, far from being a situation of ‘wicked’ holistic therapists [‘quacks’ and ‘con-men’] luring patients from under doctor's noses [the operation of a ‘pull factor’], it is patients voting with their feet [a ‘push factor’], which seems to lie at the heart of this growing phenomenon. It therefore appears to be a process driven more by patients than by the holistic practitioners.
4. “Perhaps if more doctors qualified in the treatments known to be superior to placebo, such as homoeopathy and acupuncture, there would be less need for patients to consult other practitioners.”
This argument probably reflects a desire to stay in control of a monopolistic, authoritarian and centralised form of healthcare provision. That borders on a ‘control-freak’ tendency. It hysterically exaggerates the possible dangers of patient control of their own health, or any type of patient-driven health-care decision-making process - self-help. This is not only very undemocratic and illiberal, but borders on the paranoid. For goodness sake, give the people greater choice. Increasing numbers of patients believe their health is their own business and will choose anything they like - sometimes without even consulting a medical practitioner. GPs need to seriously ask why patients behave like this. Maybe they wish to negotiate their treatment, rather than have it thrust at them dictatorially. The recent BMJ article on hidden patient agendas to some extent confirmed this trend
If physicians don’t like that, then they must adapt and become more willing [and more humble?] partners in a patient-driven healthcare delivery system.
As Dr. Pettigrew clearly demonstrates, in the above quote, some physicians don’t like it, and still have a very long way to go in grasping this point. It is another de-centralised feature of the holistic movement, which they will ignore at their own peril. While there are certain dangers in this more patient-driven form of healthcare, it is also clear that some patients find it very attractive. Primarily, it gives them greater control over their own health and less need to consult some unyielding authority figure, who is in the habit of saying ‘no’ more often than ‘yes’. And who has a resented mantra: ‘Doctor knows best’.
Would it not be better to allow entry of some of these holistic modalities into the hallowed ‘citadel of scientific truth’, recognise their better qualified practitioners and adopt them into healthcare provision as consultants? In that way, physicians could still retain a modicum of control of their patients - and healthcare delivery - and the consulting practitioners will also be happy. It could be a handsome arrangement from which all three sides benefit, including patients. Eager to breach this impasse and give patients greater choice, in the more enlightened medical practices in the UK, this is already happening, and, such enlightened physicians are not waiting for long-winded approval from RCTs, to give them what they and their patients want.
Peter Morrell Hon research associate history of medicine Stafford university
"We cannot accept any hypothesis as theory till it is proved by lab experiments and results be reproducible without ambiguity. However,debates will continue for better understanding of the
mechanism of actions of the medicines used for curing disease conditions. On the other hand, traditional medicines are used most often without proper experimental verifications and raise concerns among the scientific associations. Despite several review and meta-analysis on limitations of complementary medicine in modern medical world,large number
of people are using them since many centuries and will continue to use for their future generation. Homeopathy, Acupuncture, Yoga, Aromatherapy, Nutritional medicine, etc, are contributing in relieving symptoms in majority cases and curing underlying condition in some cases. The mechanism of actions of those medicines are ill-understood and therefore practioners are facing tough oppositions from scientific world. At times they suffer judicial actions as well. However, many governmental agencies are patronizing complementary medicines under certain cover of
supervisions.
There are several chronic disease conditions which can not be treated by modern medical support and often need consultation with complementary medical experts".
Acupuncture for fertility, pregnancy and IVF support packages
23/11/11 17:33
With my colleagues from Cure By Nature offer a a number of therapy packages designed to help couple planning for a baby, couple with male or female infertility problems, and for pregnant women form conception to birth and beyond
For more details go to http://www.cure-by-nature.com/page30/
These packages are available in my pracice in Southfields as well as in Kensington
For more details go to http://www.cure-by-nature.com/page30/
These packages are available in my pracice in Southfields as well as in Kensington
About Hay fever
17/06/11 14:55
Hay fever is one of the commonest allergies affecting a massive 12 million people in the UK. The name is somewhat misleading; it is not caused by hay, but by pollens from wind-pollinated grasses, trees, and weeds, and spores from fungi. At worst, it makes spring and summer months a misery.
Many people experience symptoms similar to hay fever all year round.
Doctors call this perennial rhinitis. Although symptoms affecting the eyes are unusual, sufferers have persistent attacks of sneezing and permanent runny nose. This allergy is frequently mistaken for the permanent 'cold' and children especially may be wrongly prescribed repeated courses of antibiotics. Frequent causes are mould and house dust mite,animal hair, latex, cleaning agent and other chemicals.
Allergic reactions such as hay fever happen when the immune system overreacts to a normally harmless substance. This triggers the production of an antibody called immunoglobulin E or IgE. IgE causes the release of some highly irritating substances, including histamine, which produce redness, heat and swelling (inflammation).
The most common symptoms are sneezing, wheezing, shortness of breath, a runny or blocked-up nose, watery and bloodshot eyes, rash, itchiness, diarrhoea and vomiting.
Health complications from repeated hay fever attacks, year after year, may be an even more serious problem. Chronic sinusitis, an inflammation of the sinus cavities is one of these complications. Another is nasal polyps. In addition, a significant percentage of people with hay fever have or develop asthma.
Hay fever and cross reactivity:
Those with pollen allergies are susceptible to cross-reactive foods. This occurs when the over active immune system cannot distinguish the difference between pollen proteins and food proteins. When the immune system recognises a “cross-reactive” protein, symptoms manifest.
Here are a few examples of cross reactivity:
Alder Pollen - almonds, apples, celery, cherries, hazel nuts, parsley, peaches, and pears.
Grass Pollen - melons, oranges, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelons and wheat.
Lily: Asparagus, Chives, Garlic, Leek, Onion.
Conventional treatment for hay fever:
Conventional treatment is mainly symptomatic:
Antihistamines ease most of the symptoms, but are not so good at relieving nasal congestion and may cause drowsiness.
Decongestant nose sprays which you can buy at pharmacies are not usually advised for more than a few days. They have an immediate effect to clear a blocked nose. . However, if you use a decongestant nose spray for more than 5-7 days, a 'rebound' more severe congestion of your nose may develop.
Why are hay fever and allergies so common today?
Quite simply, we don't know; but it is thought that the immune system may be more likely to produce allergic reactions because far fewer people today develop infectious diseases like mumps or measles
Hay fever and allergies have increased by four times in the last 20 years.
As a rule pollen levels are highest in the morning and early evening, but weather conditions make an enormous difference to pollen levels - hot dry weather or wind increase levels, whereas rain washes pollen out of the air. When pollen is high, keep windows in both cars and buildings shut, and avoid being outdoors, particularly in grassy spaces. When you do go outside, wear sunglasses, and wash your hair afterwards.
Never mow the lawn if you are allergic to grass pollen or the mould that grows on grass, and avoid smoky atmospheres as they can make symptoms worse.
Treating Hay fever with Alternative Medicine
Alternative medicine is often very effective in treating hay fever and other allergies:
Acupuncture: beside rapid symptom relief, acupuncture can bring long term improvement.
Homeopathic remedies for allergic rhinitis include: Allium cepa, Euphrasia, Pusatilla, Nux vomica.
Herbal supplements for allergic rhinitis include chamomile, Echinacea, Goldenseal, cleavers, elderberry , and eyebright .
Allergy test is to be recommended as hay fever sufferers are often sensitive to other allergens, and cross reactivity with certain foods can exasperate or prolong their symptoms.
Many people experience symptoms similar to hay fever all year round.
Doctors call this perennial rhinitis. Although symptoms affecting the eyes are unusual, sufferers have persistent attacks of sneezing and permanent runny nose. This allergy is frequently mistaken for the permanent 'cold' and children especially may be wrongly prescribed repeated courses of antibiotics. Frequent causes are mould and house dust mite,animal hair, latex, cleaning agent and other chemicals.
Allergic reactions such as hay fever happen when the immune system overreacts to a normally harmless substance. This triggers the production of an antibody called immunoglobulin E or IgE. IgE causes the release of some highly irritating substances, including histamine, which produce redness, heat and swelling (inflammation).
The most common symptoms are sneezing, wheezing, shortness of breath, a runny or blocked-up nose, watery and bloodshot eyes, rash, itchiness, diarrhoea and vomiting.
Health complications from repeated hay fever attacks, year after year, may be an even more serious problem. Chronic sinusitis, an inflammation of the sinus cavities is one of these complications. Another is nasal polyps. In addition, a significant percentage of people with hay fever have or develop asthma.
Hay fever and cross reactivity:
Those with pollen allergies are susceptible to cross-reactive foods. This occurs when the over active immune system cannot distinguish the difference between pollen proteins and food proteins. When the immune system recognises a “cross-reactive” protein, symptoms manifest.
Here are a few examples of cross reactivity:
Alder Pollen - almonds, apples, celery, cherries, hazel nuts, parsley, peaches, and pears.
Grass Pollen - melons, oranges, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelons and wheat.
Lily: Asparagus, Chives, Garlic, Leek, Onion.
Conventional treatment for hay fever:
Conventional treatment is mainly symptomatic:
Antihistamines ease most of the symptoms, but are not so good at relieving nasal congestion and may cause drowsiness.
Decongestant nose sprays which you can buy at pharmacies are not usually advised for more than a few days. They have an immediate effect to clear a blocked nose. . However, if you use a decongestant nose spray for more than 5-7 days, a 'rebound' more severe congestion of your nose may develop.
Why are hay fever and allergies so common today?
Quite simply, we don't know; but it is thought that the immune system may be more likely to produce allergic reactions because far fewer people today develop infectious diseases like mumps or measles
Hay fever and allergies have increased by four times in the last 20 years.
As a rule pollen levels are highest in the morning and early evening, but weather conditions make an enormous difference to pollen levels - hot dry weather or wind increase levels, whereas rain washes pollen out of the air. When pollen is high, keep windows in both cars and buildings shut, and avoid being outdoors, particularly in grassy spaces. When you do go outside, wear sunglasses, and wash your hair afterwards.
Never mow the lawn if you are allergic to grass pollen or the mould that grows on grass, and avoid smoky atmospheres as they can make symptoms worse.
Treating Hay fever with Alternative Medicine
Alternative medicine is often very effective in treating hay fever and other allergies:
Acupuncture: beside rapid symptom relief, acupuncture can bring long term improvement.
Homeopathic remedies for allergic rhinitis include: Allium cepa, Euphrasia, Pusatilla, Nux vomica.
Herbal supplements for allergic rhinitis include chamomile, Echinacea, Goldenseal, cleavers, elderberry , and eyebright .
Allergy test is to be recommended as hay fever sufferers are often sensitive to other allergens, and cross reactivity with certain foods can exasperate or prolong their symptoms.
about the skeptics
12/06/11 20:21
Sceptics have said that any benefits gained from acupuncture are merely down to a person's expectation that the treatment will work.
Current international research on acupuncture demonstrate that this negative attitude is far removed from the reality.
The main argument used by sceptics is that only Randomized Controlled Trials are the only way to prove or disprove the effectiveness of acupuncture.
RCTs have already demonstrated the effectiveness of acupuncture for a number of conditions, and scientists in many countries have used a various levels of evidence to demonstrate the validity of acupuncture treatment for a wide range of conditions
The debate will certainly continue for the foreseeable future, but meanwhile people will continue to vote with their feet and rely on acupuncture and other CAM treatment to maintain their good health.
The skeptic movement is a loose organisation of likeminded people who seem to have a lot in common:
They are great communicators as this picture illustrate
They are arrogant, hostile, aggressive, they do not tolerate an other point of view, and anybody who disagree with them is an idiot, any different point of view is dellusional.
The sneering, the condescending, combative and downright offensive behaviour of the skeptic irritate everybody; this is not away of winning argument or making friends
Skeptics must be very lonely...
There is only hostility, arrogance and intolerance in this lot; I am glad they are not in politic and in government, we would be under the most fascist dictatorship that humanity could experience, religion would be forbidden , atheism compulsory, free thinking not tolerated; Hello and welcome to 1984!
It is estimated that between 6.6% and 20% of the population use CAM
The average number of visits ranges from 2.8 to 5.3 per year,
leading to an extrapolation that around 5.3 million people over
the age of 18 made 31.7 million visits to practitioners of one of
eight therapies. This is considered to be a conservative
estimate.
These numbers speak for themselves, and the skeptic are not that convincing.
Current international research on acupuncture demonstrate that this negative attitude is far removed from the reality.
The main argument used by sceptics is that only Randomized Controlled Trials are the only way to prove or disprove the effectiveness of acupuncture.
RCTs have already demonstrated the effectiveness of acupuncture for a number of conditions, and scientists in many countries have used a various levels of evidence to demonstrate the validity of acupuncture treatment for a wide range of conditions
The debate will certainly continue for the foreseeable future, but meanwhile people will continue to vote with their feet and rely on acupuncture and other CAM treatment to maintain their good health.
The skeptic movement is a loose organisation of likeminded people who seem to have a lot in common:
They are great communicators as this picture illustrate
They are arrogant, hostile, aggressive, they do not tolerate an other point of view, and anybody who disagree with them is an idiot, any different point of view is dellusional.
The sneering, the condescending, combative and downright offensive behaviour of the skeptic irritate everybody; this is not away of winning argument or making friends
Skeptics must be very lonely...
There is only hostility, arrogance and intolerance in this lot; I am glad they are not in politic and in government, we would be under the most fascist dictatorship that humanity could experience, religion would be forbidden , atheism compulsory, free thinking not tolerated; Hello and welcome to 1984!
It is estimated that between 6.6% and 20% of the population use CAM
The average number of visits ranges from 2.8 to 5.3 per year,
leading to an extrapolation that around 5.3 million people over
the age of 18 made 31.7 million visits to practitioners of one of
eight therapies. This is considered to be a conservative
estimate.
These numbers speak for themselves, and the skeptic are not that convincing.
Let's start a blog
11/06/11 22:28
I am not sure where this is going to get me but watch this space, ( or lack of)