Accupuncture/naturopathic Celiac Treatments

[C-Girl]

To start with, I am a complete and total skeptic when it comes to naturopaths. I have no belief in herbal treatments (mainly due to nightmarish lack of regulations in the USA and conflicting research), in accupuncture (?!) and all the rest, but I was left shaking my head in disbelief when I met an actual MD this weekend - one with 20 years of family medicine - who claims she has a treatment for celiac that involves sticking an accupuncture needle in the upper part of the ear for a few weeks and doing some other things to stimulate the "splenic qi".

 

She didn't claim to be able to cure celiac disease or anything like that. However, she did say the treatments alleviate the body's reaction to accidental gluten exposure and generally helps digestion.

 

Has anyone had any experience with this? Is she bonkers?

 

I always wonder if these folks are just shining us on to take our money. Of course the treatments aren't covered by insurance..

[nvsmom]

A good naturopath or accupuncturist might be able to help with recovery.  The key word there is good... and might.  LOL  I have been to a GREAT accupuncturist who did amazing things for me, and I have been to a couple mediocre ones who appeared to be of no help (not for gluten related issues).  If the practitioner really knows their stuff, they might be able to help, just like a good doctor will realize that celiacs may need nutritional support after they are diagnosed to speed up healing.

 

I would really research her and her techniques before you spend money on it.

 

Good luck.

[SMRI]

The biggest issue with some of the alternative medicine people is that they work outside the scope of their practice.  I've talked to Chiropractors that can "cure" everything from a bad back to cancer....but a good Chiro knows better than that and can give relief for muscle and bone aches.  My FIL was having severe pain in his legs and nothing was helping and at the urging of a friend, tried an acupuncturist.  He was getting relief from the pain but one day had MAJOR pain.  He went to the acupuncturist and the guy wouldn't even touch him after looking at his legs and sent him to the ER PRONTO because he had blood clots---saved his life by doing that.  You just have to be very careful.  I think of all the alternative medicines, acupuncture has the longest documented history and science behind it.  I also know of a woman that was treating her high BP and diabetes "homeopathically"..she's now dead.  You just have to be smart about it.

[dilettantesteph]

Correlation does not equal causation.  MDs are just as fallible as the rest of us.  My former internist quit her practice to go back to school to study oriental medicine and acupuncture.

 

I don't go for unproven stuff myself.  I have also dismissed something as unproven when it was not.  It's important to be skeptical but not dismissive.  Acupuncture has been carefully studied and found to have no effect.  Open Original Shared Link

[nvsmom]

I don't go for unproven stuff myself.  I have also dismissed something as unproven when it was not.  It's important to be skeptical but not dismissive.  Acupuncture has been carefully studied and found to have no effect.  Open Original Shared Link

 

I have to disagree. Acupuncture has been very helpful managing symptoms of a herniated disk - for me.  My back would spasm and I would be crooked for weeks.  Accupunture was the only thing that could get me straightened up (mostly), and that was only with one accupuncturist, his other employees couldn't do that for me.

 

My father was able to extend his football career with the help of an accupuncturist.

 

My husband had his overall feeling of good health improved as well.

 

I don't think symptom improvements due to accupuncture was just in our heads. I think it can be effective... for some things.  I have no idea if it is helpful for celiac disease.

[CajunChic]

I tried visiting an accupuncturist. He said he found nothing wrong with my nervous system, as that is what Accupuncture treats. I always thought it was for anything! So he sent me home apologizing and said my celiac must be under control as my nervous system was optimal. I was a bit bummed to not try it!

[SMRI]

Correlation does not equal causation.  MDs are just as fallible as the rest of us.  My former internist quit her practice to go back to school to study oriental medicine and acupuncture.

 

I don't go for unproven stuff myself.  I have also dismissed something as unproven when it was not.  It's important to be skeptical but not dismissive.  Acupuncture has been carefully studied and found to have no effect.  Open Original Shared Link

 

An article on a blog, an extremist blog for that matter, really doesn't prove anything either...

[dilettantesteph]

An article on a blog, an extremist blog for that matter, really doesn't prove anything either...

 

 

Of course not.  They provide links to the studies that have been done.  I would read those for myself if I were trying to figure this out.