Acupuncture is based on a traditional Chinese philosophy that health is dependent on the body’s motivating energy called ‘qi’ moving through a series of meridians beneath the skin. This of course has no factual, rational or indeed scientific basis. It is a metaphysical concept.

Like homeopathy, this is at last being seriously questioned and rejected by the scientific community. It has most of its devotees among those with the vaguer and ill defined symptoms, rather than those with specific disease entities. Subjective issues such as back pain and nausea etc. have always been soft targets for alternative therapies and it is here where they appear to have most effect. It has been suggested that acupuncture triggers endorphin release, (the body’s natural morphine analogue,) in much the same way as exercise and in this was induces a feeling of wellbeing. It is still possible that needle sticks may do this.

The most common ailment acupuncture is used for is probably back pain; but in a meta-analysis NOTHING came out very effective in dealing with back pain. Whether you saw a GP, a physiotherapist, an acupuncturist, an orthopaedic surgeon an osteopath, a chiropractor or a faith healer etc, more or less the same percentage of patients got better over time anyway.

However, 2 double blind cross over studies showed that these random needle sticks had an exactly analogous placebo effect, around 70% to ‘correctly’ administered acupuncture for pain. This 70% is a classic figure, given for placebo effect in pain relief and would suggest that acupuncture itself has no additional effect above and beyond placebo.

To suggest as the ‘Alties’ that just because something has been around a long time it must work is a nebulous argument, the appeal to tradition, which in no way guarantees efficacy. However, there is no doubt that it contributes to the ‘power’ of the placebo effect as does of course the large amount of theatrics involved.

Even used as a placebo acupuncture is not without risk. In the late 90′s a systematic review showed that there were documented cases of deaths after acupuncture, some due to septicaemia, cardiac tamponade and one induced an acute asthmatic attack. Also there have been cases of infections such as hepatitis B, HIV and sub-acute bacterial endocarditis and spinal cord injury.

Conclusion? Hang on to your money. Conventional medicine unquestionably has its limitations, but at least it is increasing based on rational study and reproducible results.

My chiropractor showed me a stretch to relieve the pressure on the sciatic nerve. I used it once or twice a day and now have no sciatic pain – none for 7 years.

Difficult to describe, but I’ll try:

You can do this lying in bed, on your side. Use the leg you are lying on for balance. Take the top leg, keeping it straight, and bring it towards the front and across your body i.e. to the other side. This will stretch the muscles down the back of your leg and lower back that can put pressure on the sciatic nerve. To help with the stretch, wrap a towel around your foot and gently pull upwards to get more stretch. This is easier than trying to use your muscles to get the stretch. I found it best if I had a hot shower beforehand.

Good luck