BBC2 Jan 24th 9pm

[K.L.H.]

Looks like the Beeb has a new series on, "Alternative Medicine". First programme looking at Accupuncture. [link=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/whatson/prog_parse.cgi?FILENAME=20060124/20060124_2100_4224_18914_60]http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-perl/whatson/prog_parse.cgi?FILENAME=20060124/20060124_2100_4224_18914_60[/link]

Mel

 

[ass6rd]

Hey, Thanks for letting us.
I will make sure I don't miss it.
Allison

 

[Mari Sunjara]

Thanks Mel,
I saw it advertised on BBC the other day and though I must mark it (which I promptly forgot to do). Will set myself a reminder now

 

[thelma_layton]

Hi Mel,

Thanks for the tip. Jotted it down - we get BBC 1, 2 and BBC World here in the Netherlands.Look forward to it.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Thanks for the... er... heads up! Sorry for the business bulls**t speak!

 

[jnrzfmrf]

Thanks for telling us Mel...not long to wait now!

 

[hippo37]

And my A&P tutor tells me



I told her she was morbid *lol*

 

[zessneits]

Did you watch it last night - amazing how big a liver really is!!!

Kate

 

[Vomit]

Scientists, eh.

If some bright spark 2000 years ago when acupuncture was being developed said, "Hang on, we better do some proper scientific trials. What we need is a brain scanner first!", how many people would have suffered over the last 20 centuries.

 

[Baillie]

I was a bit disappointed that she didn't report back after her treatment, about whether she actually slept well, or how she felt the next day.
I don't need scientific placebo studies to tell me that it works - being migraine free for 3 years is enough proof!

 

[Mario]

If I can just put another slant on this. I think all this scientific testing is wonderful (pointless for us who believe it works, but that's life!). If we want these therapies integrated into all hospitals, hospices etc. etc. then there has to be scientific proof to convince the non-believers that actually something is happening. I think after last nights test a few people in the medical profession might sit up and take note, that is what is needed.

Can you imagine going into hosiptal and having the choice of anasetic (??) or accupuncture! Only way this will happen is by scientific testing. Next week is healing - I am looking forward to see those results - might encourage to NHS to put a few more healers in their wards.

Have a lovely day,
Jo

 

[dreamheart]

Oh yes I agree, but it's just that there is this annoying need for proof before acceptance, which means many will (have) suffered as a result. Only those with an open mind would currently benefit, and if they intend to test acupuncture with each and every possible human ailment we would have to wait a long time before it is fully integrated... unlike in China!

 

[aseebueaikoitceee]

Proof - this is the world we live in. People sueing each other, not believing and being scared to try anything which is not tried and tested. That of course, opens another can of worms. Who is going to do the testing. Most these test are funded by the big pharmaceutical companies and their shareholder will get might pi**ed off if the profit goes down because we are all using alternative therapies.

Maybe once it gets accepted in the medical profession not each and every disease needs to be tested.......

Hmm, time to work a bit so I will mull over this some more.

Jo

 

[dawg]

Yep, definitely. TBH I like many people haven't had proof that, for instance, anaesthetic works. I just have faith that it works cos the important looking man in hospital says it does... yet, the same people require proof for other things as if they are some sort of medical expert.

 

[DAMIAN]

Exactly Darren. And carrying on from what you say...now that they've just proved this technique (which has been working for at least2000 years) then they've got no excuse not to start introduce it into Western medicine. Afterall, a lot of the new drugs that they're coming up with these days have only been tested for a year or lessbefore they're introduced and they often have detrimental side effects!

 

[yfemcuymiugidkebt]

Was interested to hear that they used acupuncture to enhance smaller doses of a drug, with resulting lower side effects, too!

 

[REALIST L]

What if an element of the effectiveness of some treatments is placebo? If it's powerful & long lasting maybe that's enough?

Not sure really - feel a bit bitter if I was parting with my cash just for a placebo effect, but if it stopped something from hurting....

 

[mit Whome]

I feel like that post made me look as if I don't value research. I'm actually very much in favour of research. I'm naturally pretty skeptical but have always thought placebo an interesting subject.

Just thought I'd clear that up!

KW

 

[Bonzo The Wonder Pig]

Hi

Fascinating programme - as a complementary therapist who has had acupuncture for various imbalances I found it fascinating watching the physiological affects on the brain - wouldn't it be good to see this with massage too - as in aromatherapy the oils work on the limbic system (the same part of the brain that was active on the scan of the acupuncture trial -and that was only one needle being inserted. I cannot wait to see next weeks prog on Healing.

Incidentally pain relief using acupuncture is being used in the NHS - Dr's do a short course - (Which is a bit of an insult to acupuncturists) just learn the points for pain relief and probably don't learn anything about the elements or chi.

Thanks for the reminder.

Binah

 

[Chris Masin]

Trouble is though Binah, us real acupuncturists practically never use acupuncture for pain relief!

What's the point of that??

Our medicine has the capacity to treat the underlying causes of pain, so where's the sense in just masking it?

This programme was really positive towards acupuncture in general, but it focused entirely on this peculiar "western" interpretation of acupuncture, i.e. pain relief.

What about the research that shows 60% increase in success rates for IVF...
81% success rate in turning breech babies...
It goes on and on....

Let's hope that this "acceptance" of acupuncture by the medical profession doesn't just lead to a ton of GPs doing a weekend course, and then offering "acupuncture" to their patients.


Aragorn x