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Yes, a thread on osteopathy...

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JohnnyO Jan 2013 11:07am, 15 Jan 2013 14,718 posts	Quote Pin JohnnyO Acupuncture works for some pain syndromes. I think. And to add to what Vrap says, the only evidence we have for physiotherapy on ICU is that it prolongs stay and delays recovery. We still spend thosuands (millions?) on it though.
Nellers Jan 2013 11:14am, 15 Jan 2013 23,795 posts	Quote Pin Nellers Many studies on acupuncture show that practitioners can get exactly the same result as the sham acupuncture used as control. Conclusion generally is that it's all placebo with no actual therapeutic value beyond the patient/practitioner relationship.
Velociraptor Jan 2013 11:17am, 15 Jan 2013 23,493 posts	Quote Pin Velociraptor The evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture is similar in magnitude to the evidence for the effectiveness of glucosamine. And the biological plausibility of both modes of "treatment" is about the same too.
Nellers Jan 2013 11:19am, 15 Jan 2013 23,797 posts	Quote Pin Nellers Agreed, V'Rap. I keep telling my arthritic mum to stop wasting her money on those tablets but she won't have it because a doctor once said they "might help". Bloody medical professionals.;-)
Velociraptor Jan 2013 11:22am, 15 Jan 2013 23,494 posts	Quote Pin Velociraptor Aye, I have a colleague who still tells patients to take the bloody stuff even though the PCT has blacklisted it for prescribing, and we've got a new orthopod on the patch whose standard advice - "lose weight and take glucosamine" - I have taken to challenging because there's no evidence that either of these actions will affect the patients' need for replacement joints, it's just pissing around wasting their time.
Velociraptor Jan 2013 11:23am, 15 Jan 2013 23,495 posts	Quote Pin Velociraptor But that's nothing to do with the thread subject.
Nellers Jan 2013 11:25am, 15 Jan 2013 23,798 posts	Quote Pin Nellers I agree with you there, too. Interesting, though.:-)
Lyns Jan 2013 11:40am, 15 Jan 2013 1,419 posts	Quote Pin Lyns In my experience there is about as much difference between individual practitioners of osteo, chiro and physio as there is between the different disciplines. Sometimes my physio does something that's barely perceptible in my hip which immediately stops the pain that no amount of stretching and rollering i was doing could... and while some chiros are all cracky in the neck, others are far gentler and more like neck massage. I think that in western medicine / the nhs we don't spend enough time on manual manipulation, massage, stretching etc. which then sends people off to 'complementary' fields like osteo and chiro. In my experience if you go to a GP with a sore limb, neck, hip, you are generally given anti-inflammatory meds. I say this as somebody who had a year of rehab after an ankle ligament rupture mostly on the nhs, but had to go private to get anybody to actually touch it and manipulate it. My GP tried a range of pharmaceuitcals for my sore neck and headaches when actually shoulder and neck massage gets rid of them instantly... but then there's probably no double-blind test proving the efficacy of neck massage over placebo
Kenny_Boy (2013 GoFasterStripes) Jan 2013 11:44am, 15 Jan 2013 721 posts	Quote Pin Kenny_Boy (2013 GoFasterStripes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhGuXCuDb1U This seems a great opportunity to post some Tim Minchin....
Velociraptor Jan 2013 11:49am, 15 Jan 2013 23,499 posts	Quote Pin Velociraptor I very much agree, Lyns. The practical skill of the individual practitioner is more important than the underlying philosophy.