RE: Why People See Acupuncturists

[Guest guest]

How is it that placebos are more effective than Prozac.

How so many more are helped simply by wearing a white coat and telling them

you can help and that they will get better.

 

Why is the altitude of an EMT, or first responder critical.

Life and death hanging on a expression - or touch.

 

methinks, health and longevity can be traced to two " discoveries "

1. simply hygiene

2. a dog (or cat in some cases). But in all cases companionship.

 

" Science " is simply our expression of a prevailing superstition.

Intervention only assists the body -after one is already thirsty.

The Yellow Emperor tells us that non-intervention is the higher form of

medicine.

So did Ben Franklin and a few others.

 

Of course people see me because they want their problem to go away so they

can get quickly back to what they were doing that caused their problem in

the first place. They stop by my office because the quick fix doc in the box

made them all sorts of jerky. If I want to get paid I have to conform to

their ritual....but ... it is a step forward

 

Ever wonder what the combination of caffeine, sugar and salt does to the

body....

 

Ed Kasper LAc, Santa Cruz, CA.

 

 

Sat, 31 May 2003 19:52:01 -0700

" Brian Carter " <bbcarter

Why People See Acupuncturists

 

In response to the two posts in the last digest

that contained the assertion that people see us

because Western Med doesn't help them, that is

only one reason...

 

According to a national survey published in the Journal of the American

Medical Association, " Why Patients Use Alternative Medicine, " on the

characteristics of alternative medicine users, they tend to have more

education, poorer health, a holistic orientation to health, have had a

transformational experience that changed their worldview, and may be in a

cultural group identifiable by their commitment to environmentalism,

feminism, and interest in spirituality and personal growth psychology.

 

And Paul Unschuld wrote an interesting article on the acceptance of Oriental

Medicine in the West (http://www.paradigm-pubs.com/html/refs/reorme.pdf)

that correlates people's perspectives on society with their acceptance of a

medicine. He emphasizes that evidence of efficacy is secondary- people's

must understand a medicine in a way that fits with their beliefs and values

first. In fact, our beliefs and values are coloring the way we see and

present Chinese medicine, and which parts of it we emphasize or ignore.

 

So, no matter what you do (science, reason, example), you will not get some

people to accept it. And no matter what, some people will continue to

support it.

 

Oh, and by the way- I'm not so sure acupuncture will work for those who

don't believe in it. Perhaps for those who are neutral, if it's a good

treatment. But don't underestimate the power of the nocebo effect to

nullify medical treatment.

 

B

 

 

 

Brian Benjamin Carter, M.Sci., L.Ac.

http://www.pulsemed.org/briancarterbio.htm

Editor, The Pulse of Oriental Medicine

Columnist, Acupuncture Today

(619) 208-1432 San Diego

(866) 206-9069 x 5284 Tollfree Voicemail

 

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