Ask Dr Xiang Jun: Why Acupuncture Does Not Work


Acupuncture is a healing modality which theory and principles stem from Traditional Chinese Medicine. It involves the insertion of very thin needles through the skin at strategic points known as acupoints on the body.







In Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture is a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force known as Chi or Qi which flows through energy pathways called meridians in the body.




Because we cannot see energy and the incompatibility of scientific research in analysis of modalities beyond the physical resulting in misleading conclusions, acupuncture has been given a bad name no matter if it works or it does not. When acupuncture works, it is slandered as placebo. When it does not work, it is disrepute.







There can be many reasons as to why Acupuncture does not work. Here are some of them:







1.       Poor Compliance of Patient







Depending on the different illnesses and conditions, certain advice in terms of treatment frequencies, lifestyle changes, abstinence and restrictions may be given by the physician so that the patient can follow through and recover fast.







For example, if the patient is advised not to drink cold drinks to help with increasing the effects of acupuncture treatment for gastritis, yet the patient did not comply to such advice and continue to drink cold water and beverages, the effect of the treatment will be negated. And acupuncture will be deemed as not working.







Therefore if patient has poor compliance to what the physician advised, then acupuncture does not work, not because acupuncture is ineffective, but because the instructions for acupuncture to be effective are not followed.







2.       Poor Belief of Patient







Although the mechanisms of acupuncture can be described in oversimplified scientific terms, the basis that acupuncture works on is energy.





Emotions are energy in motion that can be felt in a person and part of being human.





Therefore when a person is emotionally secured in the treatment, the energy flow and rebalancing can take place faster and easier. Being emotionally secured involves trust, confidence, belief. These will contribute to the success working of acupuncture.





On the other hand, mistrust, doubt, disbelief in the treatment and in the physician will reduce the acupuncture effectiveness right from the start. And this is one of the contributing factor as to why acupuncture does not work.

 

 

3.       Poor Skills and Techniques of Physician



Just like any of the treatment modality of Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture requires intricate skills and techniques of the physician for it to be effective. There is no short cut to this. Only years of practice and accumulated experience can show up in the effectiveness of the treatment. An additional simple reminder, an old looking physician may not be experienced. He could have just graduated from the TCM school as a mid life career change.



Therefore, if the patient has been compliant with the instructions and advice of the physician, then the other part of the equation that determines if acupuncture works is the skills and techniques of the person executing the acupuncture treatment.



4.       Poor Knowledge of Physician



If the patient is compliant and confident in the treatment and physician, and the skills and techniques of the physician is good, then the last factor that may cause acupuncture to not work is misdiagnosis.



Many illnesses and conditions are highly susceptible to being wrongly diagnosed as the presenting symptoms may be confusing and complex. If the physician is not well versed in the knowledge of the illnesses and accompanying symptoms, misdiagnosis will be inevitable.



Furthermore, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, there is another system of diagnosis known as syndrome differential diagnosis in which the main organ that is out of balance has to be identified. It is a process which requires the highly trained five senses of the physician to carry out the rigorous consultation and assessment process and then put down a differential diagnosis that determines the treatment strategy.



Therefore, poor knowledge and skills of the physician can easily lead to misdiagnosis which will cause the conditions required for effective acupuncture treatment such as compliance and confidence of patients and skills and techniques of physician to become futile and useless.

TCM(Traditional Chin Med), TCM Wellness, TCM and Science, Basics of TCMXiang Jun LimDr (TCM) Xiang Juntcm, acupuncture, traditional chinese medicine, placebo, effectiveness