Are Thoresen's views on homeopathy & acupuncture

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

 

I have Are Thoresen's permission to post this to CAVM/CAM Lists

 

A contribution to the discussion on how Homeopathy and

Acupuncture may work?

An important mechanism in Homeopathy and Acupuncture and its

importance and implications in Veterinary medicine

Are Thoresen CMV, Leikvollgata 31, N-3213 Sandefjord, Norway.

arethore

My background is that I am educated as a homeopath, an acupuncturist

and as a veterinarian, and have had my own clinic for both humans and

animals since 1981. I am a strict believer in the great possibilities of these

alternative modalities, and I have treated patients with combinations of

acupuncture, homeopathy and herbs about 150000 times.

Most Acupuncturists and Homeopaths agree that homeopathy and

acupuncture work through information and regulation to/of the somatic

processes. Acupuncture and homeopathy stimulate the self-healing

mechanisms of the body. Many other medicines do not do that, for example

penicillin works by its own antibacterial actions that can inhibit or kill

bacteria

within the body as well as in-vitro (outside the body). This is not the case

with acupuncture and homeopathy. To be of therapeutic value, they must

modulate the body's homeostatic processes, i.e. they must target the body's

self-healing mechanisms.

 

The mechanism of action: How acupuncture and homeopathy work (how

they stimulate the body's self-healing processes) has been debated in depth

through the years Many mechanisms have been suggested. Some of these

have been identified, especially in research on acupuncture. Regardless of

what mechanisms have been suggested, the end result is always that the

body's self-healing mechanisms must be activated.

 

Some worrying observations: During the years I have observed some

paradoxical anomalies between my clinical results and those of others, as I

am sure you have also. Those that have bothered me are discussed below.

 

Paradoxical observations in acupuncture:

* Most veterinary acupuncturists, who use AP or gold implants at the

acupoints, find them to be most successful and effective to treat

canine hip dysplasia (HD). Clinical experience from several

colleagues, with overall success rates of 80-90%, supports this

opinion. Recently, although they used slightly different methods of

implantation, three independent uncontrolled retrospective clinical

studies on the effectiveness of gold implants to treat canine HD in

218 dogs in Denmark (the late Jens Klitsgaard, 100 dogs), Norway

(Are Thoresen, 50 dogs) and Germany (Erhard Schulze, 68 dogs)

reported a clinical success rate of near 90%. However, the clinical

response to gold bead implantation AP to treat canine HD was

evaluated also in two double-blind studies. One was in Finland by

Anna Hielm et al (1998) and the other was in the USA by Bebchuk

et al (1998). Also there will shortly be publishes a third article by Gry

Jäger (Oslo 2002). Anna Hielm gave me a summary of her article in

Finnish. The dogs were treated in a double-blinded study; the

owners did the evaluation. Both groups of dogs showed positive

results but there was no difference between the two groups.

Bebchuk's study was a communication from his university. He also

treated the dogs in a double-blind study but the evaluation was

objective; it used force-plates to measure the force exerted by the

dogs on the treated limbs. Neither group of dogs improved, and

there was no difference between the two groups. The dogs in the

treatment group tended to get worse. Gry Jäger's article will

conclude (as reported at the IVAS Congress in Spietz) that there

was a positive and statistical difference between the two groups,

but much less that one may expect according to the results

reported by Klitsgaard, Schulze and Thoresen. All three studies

show the same result: gold-implantation in the hip area had little or

no positive effect on the dogs and some dogs in Bebchuck's study

even got worse! So we see that a very successful therapy in the

clinic is almost without effect in a double-blind trial.

* A good friend and colleague in Norway has had good results in his

acupuncture therapy in recent years,. He then hired helpers,

colleagues and animal-caretakers, who did not believe in

acupuncture. After two years he told me; " Are, I do not understand

what is happening, acupuncture does not seem to work for me any

more " .

* A colleague in the US said the following: " Twenty-five years ago I

had great results treating just GB29, 30, and BL54 in canine hip

dysplasia.If I treat just these points today, I would see very little

improvement in my patients. I agree that focus and mindset is a

major part in one's treatment protocol and point selection. In the

treatment of hip dysplasia, you (i.e. Are) place a much higher

degree of power on the use of Liv 3 than I do; therefore Liv 3 works

for you but not for me. I treat many conditions for which I use only

one needle, or implant only one point, but my focus is different from

when I am treating hip dysplasia. We are getting back to focus and

intent, the two most important factors in acupuncture. A German

colleague answered to this: " Some years ago I hadto open the Du

Mai with Gb 41 first in about 80% of my horse patients. Today it

happens about once a week. Who changed? The horses or I? "

 

Paradoxical observations in homeopathy:

* Beneviste's investigations showed that the results differed when he

made the trials alone versus in the presence of sceptics. He

suggested that the presence of the critical persons " zeroed " the

results of the investigations.

* Later, Professor Kröplin at the University of Stuttgart showed clearly

that mood-changes of the scientists changed the results in sensitive

crystallisation by such a degree (up to 47%) that the claims of

Beneviste no longer seem so far-fetched. (Kröplin 2001).

* Many investigations showed that homeopathy works sometimes,

and sometimes not (Coulter 1980, Linde 1997, Vaarst 1996). Also

many homeopathic studies show that results are very good in the

clinic but are bad in double-blinded trials.

 

Paradoxical observations in biodynamic agriculture:

* Biodynamic agriculture uses homeopathic substances called the

" Remedies " . As in homeopathy, Biodynamic agriculture has given

paradoxical results in practical situations; some people have had

good results but others not. Many farmers report good results but

controlled trials have shown little or no effect.

* In farming I have often heard that methods or remedies that clearly

work in the field, totally lose their effect when submitted to double-

blind investigations.

 

Paradoxical observations in other areas of science:

* Viktor Schauberger, between the first and the second world wars,

conducted many interesting trials and studies in Austria on the

peculiarities of water. His results amazed many scientists, and even

Hitler ordered him to work for his war-machine. Later, it emerged

that it was almost impossible to replicate Schauberger's results but

few have suggested that he was cheating.

* Sir Jagadis Chandra Bose, one of the most famous scientists in

India, showed with his self-constructed machines that plants and

metals had a soul-life of their own. The problem was that nobody

could replicate his results. My interpretation of his trials is that his

own psyche (intention) was so strong that it influenced his results.

* Professor Kröplin from Stuttgart has shown that the patterns of

crystallisations and the forms of drops falling into water was up to

48% influenced by the emotions of the scientists. This would

explain the results of many great " alternative " scientists, such as

Shauberger, Bose and even Steiner.

* Quantum-physics also indicates that the observer influences the

observed results; the scientists influence the outcome from a given

experimental protocol, and the variation between their results is

unexplained. Many quantum-physicists accept this today; however,

Werner Heisenberg's uncertainly-equation may explain the

differences practically and theoretically. Here is a quote from " The

Tao of Physics " by Fritjof Capra: " In modern physics, the question

of consciousness has arisen in connection with the observation of

atomic phenomena can only be understood as links in a chain of

processes, the end of which lies in the consciousness of the human

observer " . In the words of Eugene Wigner: " It was not possible to

formulate the laws of quantum theory in a fully consistent way

without reference to consciousness. " Wigner and others have

argued that the explicit inclusion of human consciousness may be

an essential aspect of future theories of matter.

 

These concepts all indicate that the qualities of the therapist may influence

the outcome of a treatment or experiment, as modern quantum physics has

suggested. Many serious AP books from China expressed this opinion, for

example:

 

* Chapter 26 of the Suwen: " ... That which differentiates craftsmen is [to

observe] what is not manifested to be observed externally and that all

[others] cannot observe. Therefore observing that which is obscure

means seeing that which has no form and tasting that which has no

flavour. This [capacity] seems to be divine " .

* Scheid & Bensky: In pre-Han China, yì (intention) was considered a pre-

requisite of the knowledge and understanding required for and derived

from the divination practices based on the I-jing. " Yì is what the sages

used to search profundity and study the all encompassing. As it is

profound, it can penetrate throughout the purpose of the subcelestial

realm. As it is all encompassing, it can penetrate throughout the affairs

of the subcelestial realm. As it is divine, it is fast but never hurries; it

arrives but never travels " .

* Zhenjiu Dacheng: " The importance of AP lies in concentration of the

mind "

* Guo Yuzhi: " needling ability rests with whether [acupuncturist] can focus

his attention on the heart and hand during the needling " .

* Xu Yinzong: " Medicine is Yì (intention); it is in one's thoughts and

deliberations.

Conclusions:

* The conclusion, that the qualities of the therapist, especially Yì

(intention), may influence the outcome of a treatment may explain

why homeopaths and doctors disagree, and never will agree. If the

therapist's intent, formed by years of study and clinical conviction,

really is the most important aspect of clinical medicine, it may

explain very well why scientists and doctors (who rely on

dispassionate randomised controlled trials for evidence of clinical

efficiency) disagree with homeopaths and acupuncturists about the

reality of their clical results. Double-blinded studies cannot allow for

the influence of Yì (intention), and must show little difference

between the treated and control groups than in a clinical situation

where focused positive intent is present.

* As veterinarians, when we treat animals, we must pay much more

attention to our own Yì, and to the psyche of our patients.

* We must abandon double-blind trials in all investigations on

therapies that involve the self-healing properties of the body

* We must realise that the results of " great spirits " , like the people

mentioned above (and also Rudolf Steiner), cannot be duplicated,

and may even have been the results of their intention and belief.

 

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* Hielm et al (1998) Double-blind study to evaluate the clinical

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Phil's comment: Those researchers are not testing ¡°OUR METHODS¡±, but

¡°THEIR VERSION of OUR METHODS¡±.

 

That difference is subtle, but highly significant - it DOES NOT INCLUDE the

¡°healing effect of a the therapist(s)¡± whose work is being researched.

 

Those things we must understand, and explain them to our conventional

colleagues.

 

Best regards,