# Does acupuncture really work? If so, how? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 12, 2005, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-acupuncture-really-work-if-so-how/289704 "2005-02-12T03:57:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-acupuncture-really-work-if-so-how/289704/21 "2005-03-30T15:58:44Z")
> [@The Asbestos Mango](#): > > Also, I can tell you from personal experience that the points, and in a few individuals, even the entire meridians, can be physically felt. If the points and meridians could be physically felt, then science would know about them. Your anecdotes don’t indicate they exist, the effects are much more easily explained by psychosomatic muscle relaxation. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-acupuncture-really-work-if-so-how/289704/22 "2005-03-30T16:27:28Z")
What I’m wondering about is the process by which they came to know where to insert the needles for maximum effectiveness. I mean, imagine the experimentation phase. . . :eek: Yeah, exactly. Whether volunteers or involuntary participants, wouldn’t it take a long time to get your research past the “I’m going to keep sticking pins in you until you say it doesn’t hurt” problem? ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-acupuncture-really-work-if-so-how/289704/23 "2005-03-30T17:13:33Z")
I saw an article about acupuncture on the [betterhumans.com](http://betterhumans.com) website and had to post in here. I definately agree that there isn’t much to accupunture, but look at this article: [http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2005-03-29-3](http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2005-03-29-3) However, as a caveat: > [@](#): > > The researchers found that acupuncture alone had no effect on blood pressure. But: > [@](#): > > When they added electrical stimulation to the treatment, however, running a current through the needles, the effect was dramatic. While high frequencies of stimulation had no effect, low frequencies lowered blood pressure by as much as 40% to 50%. And a 30-minute treatment had effects that lasted nearly two hours. Interesting, no? FWIW the study was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-acupuncture-really-work-if-so-how/289704/24 "2005-03-30T17:38:49Z")
Can’t speak for acupuncture, but acupressure usually does work for minor pain relief. I’m a Taekwondo instructor, and part of what we teach is pressure points that will disable an attacker for short periods of time, allowing the victim to escape. I got interested in them and did a little studying and found that on several of these pressure points, a different stimulation will produce a different response. I am now known around the office as the headache guy. Most of the folks around here (we’re in a fairly high-stress office) have come to me with tension headaches. By manipulating the brachial plexus origin and the superscapular pressure points, I am usually able to relieve their headaches for a while. Normally, those pressure points are attacked with the intent to stun and knock down a person for 15-20 seconds. In addition, manipulate of the superficial common peroneal can relieve lower back aches. Normally, we stomp that pressure point to cause the leg to collapse. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2016, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-acupuncture-really-work-if-so-how/289704/25 "2016-05-18T21:08:58Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Can’t speak for acupuncture, but acupressure usually does work for minor pain relief. > > I’m a Taekwondo instructor, and part of what we teach is pressure points that will disable an attacker for short periods of time, allowing the victim to escape. I got interested in them and did a little studying and found that on several of these pressure points, a different stimulation will produce a different response. > > I am now known around the office as the headache guy. Most of the folks around here (we’re in a fairly high-stress office) have come to me with tension headaches. By manipulating the brachial plexus origin and the superscapular pressure points, I am usually able to relieve their headaches for a while. Normally, those pressure points are attacked with the intent to stun and knock down a person for 15-20 seconds. > > In addition, manipulate of the superficial common peroneal can relieve lower back aches. Normally, we stomp that pressure point to cause the leg to collapse. All you need is a doctor with some kind of karate belt to back you up in your infomercial, and you will make millions! ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2016, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-acupuncture-really-work-if-so-how/289704/26 "2016-05-18T21:42:12Z")
Qi or no qi, this here thread is a zombie. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2016, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-acupuncture-really-work-if-so-how/289704/27 "2016-05-18T22:03:58Z")
There is the possibility that acupuncture may have something to do with stimulating [myofascial trigger points](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=302015). So that may provide a non mystical basis for their occasional effectiveness. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2016, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-acupuncture-really-work-if-so-how/289704/28 "2016-05-18T23:32:36Z")
Zombie re-opened for a joke is now being sent back to permanent peace. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-acupuncture-really-work-if-so-how/289704.md?page=1)