what do you believe about Reiki healing?

Question 1
what do you believe about Reiki healing?...  

Answers
1)   It's a load of bollocks. - Meat Man

2)   That it's a load of rubbish. - Alice

3)   Well someone said it had been "scientifically proven" yet no-one seems to be able to produce any such science papers. Load of rubbish. - Nitram

4)   i think you have to really believe in your healer (therapist),therefore it is more of a placebo effect .some truly believe in that method so it seems to work on them...i went for a reiki treatment once, i went there with a good attitude and open mind but nothing happened...and the healer seemed a bit confused as for her hands got really cold instead of hot and kept asking me if i felt anything,answer was no...if you want something that really works,try accupuncture... - Mr.Lucky

5)   I think it is primarily a scam perpetrated by Reiki 'masters' to extract huge sums of money from scientifically illiterate students. Pay thousands of dollars to obtain special powers to manipulate a mysterious healing force that has never been shown to exist.

"Effects of reiki in clinical practice: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials:

...In conclusion, the evidence is insufficient to suggest that reiki is an effective treatment for any condition" http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1742-1241.2008.01729.x/abstract;jsessionid=5C74D2FE4EEF6ABCA109752B67DE29B0.d01t01?systemMessage=Due+to+scheduled+maintenance+access+to+the+Wiley+Online+Library+may+be+disrupted+as+follows:+Saturday,+16+October+-+New+York+0700+EDT+to+0900+EDT;+London+1200+BST+to+1400+BST;+Singapore+1900+SGT+to+2100+SGT. - Gary Y

6)   I don't believe in it at all. I've done all kinds of homeopathic, herbal, accunpuncture, massage you name it stuff that I believe works, but this is one I think is garbage. - Nancy

7)   The story of Reiki, have been shrouded by myth and fable for decades. Much research has been undertaken to discern the true roots of the beautiful Reiki tradition. Reiki is an ever evolving, flexible and creative form of growth, relaxation and development. Practicing Reiki helps create harmony in the body, giving a deep sense of peace and relaxation.

The Reiki system is not the only factor that determines how the body is attuned to the Reiki energy. The person giving a Reiki treatment also receives the healing effect of the energy as it flows through them.

What Is Reiki http://www.yoga-store.net/what-is-reiki.htm - Emma

8)   Reiki is utter nonsense, totally implausible and the way it is purported to work is a lie. - dave


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Question 2
Will the AltMed community come out against this answer about epilepsy?...  This was an answer to a recent question on this forum asking if AltMed could help with epilepsy.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArYjX14fQ_hLHEUV9JQMlQQgBgx.;_ylv=3?qid=20101013221254AAaRIie

"Find a professional certified Homeopath. There are quite a number of homeopathic medicines that will cure epilepsy, but it takes an expert to determine which one to use based on what triggers it in a particular individual"

Will you Alternative Medicine supporters on this forum come out against this answer and state that this user was wrong to post this and that epilepsy should be treated by a doctor not a homeopath?

Will you state that this user was wrong for posting this.

do you distance yourselves from this answer? Would you recommend I immediately put my epileptic brother on homeopathic medicines?

(question copied for re-posting if required)
@Lilly. you ask "I don't know if homeopathy can "cure" or even manage epilepsy"

answer. It can't

Why don't I get a life? Because you silly girl I know full well the life of living with epilepsy and it breaks my heart that someone would come on here then try homeopathy to manage it because some fool on here said so. That is why I coume to this site. Ordinary everyday people do not invest time into finding out about AltMed untill they need it. They come here looking for advice and they get "Homeoathy can cure that". Homeopathy can cure nothing yet this site promotes it for everything from fungal toenails to cancer.


Even my Kiwi friend on here would not be as cress as to recommend homeopathy for epilepsy.
*crass* *come* still getting used to this keypad ;-(
@thenosek: are you 'Old cat lady'?
@thenosek: are you 'Old cat lady'?
You say "Not understanding how something works is not proof that it doesn'"

Please enlighten me. how does Homeopathy cure Epilepsy.

Answers
1)   Why don't you get a life? No I won't come out and say the person is wrong. I don't know if homeopathy can "cure" or even manage epilepsy but given the person who suffers from it has chosen not to take medication then whats the harm in them trying alternatives. If they find something that works for them then great, if not then no harm has been done. Stop getting your knickers in a twist about other people's business. And seriously, not even interested in what you do with your brother but given you are not a homeopath don't know how you would achieve that. - LillyB

2)   All you are proving is that YOU have an attitude against Homeopathy. This proves or disproves nothing in the real world. There are hundreds upon hundreds of clinical records that prove that Homeopathy cured infinite numbers of cases of epilepsy. This is far weightier evidence than your "disbelief" which is actually interfering with your brother being cured or at least palliated by a form of treatment that does not require expensive drugs and negative side effects.
Other people's search for forms of medical treatment outside the scope of drugs and surgery is their right. Poking fun at them, or somehow taking it personally that other people "dare" to contradict you also proves nothing. Some people think that others who disagree with them should be censored.
Not understanding how something works is not proof that it doesn't. - thenoseknows

3)   Nothing sums up the level of brute ignorance among alties more than the phrase: "What's the harm in them trying alternatives". More unsubstantiated tripe from thenosek... too, utterly disgraceful.

It's disturbing to see that even in the face of undeniable proof that it's just water, alties couldn't care less if other people suffer or risk death due to their lack of education and total gullibility. - dave

4)   I hope they will; the two answers you have from alties so far demonstrate an extreme of ignorance and lack of concern for fellow human beings, but I believe they represent the lunatic fringe (multi-account guy will doubtless be along to add his voice to theirs soon).

I understand your anger; it is the same anger I feel when I see ignorant people on this board assuring people whose relatives have late stage cancer that a few apricot seeds or a change of diet will fix it, or advising them to try homeopathy or yoga. The activities of such people in the Cancer section is what first brought me to this board to counter those arguments at source.

Not even most homeopaths would claim to be able to cure epilepsy; at most some might claim their potions were 'complementary' to the patient's medication.

Doesn't it make you shudder with horror to see someone say they don't know if homeopathy will cure epilepsy, but where's the harm in telling an epileptic that it will? Beggars belief.

And 'thenoseknows' once again makes wild claims without providing a single piece of evidence. - lo_mcg

5)   They won't come and out and state he his wrong and point out the danger in his advice, because the vast majority of the alties who frequent this board are dishonest or deluded themselves.

@ thenoseknows: You said: "There are hundreds upon hundreds of clinical records that prove that Homeopathy cured infinite numbers of cases of epilepsy."

Substantiate this claim with evidence please otherwise we'll assume you've made that up. Single case studies and personal testimonies are not evidence. What evidence is there that homeopathy had anything to do with any improvement? Uncontrolled observations to not demonstrate efficacy.

There could be other explanations. For example, there are many different types of epilepsy; some are age-dependent, some will require medication for life. Some people find they are able to stop their medication after awhile. This does not mean their epilepsy was cured by magic water. Uncontrolled observations are just that, uncontrolled, we cannot state that any one of the many variables are what caused epilepsy to improve or resolve. You are making the post hoc ergo propter hoc logical fallacy of automatically assuming cause and effect.

"Not understanding how something works is not proof that it doesn't."

It's not that we don't understand it. It just doesn't work. There is no evidence it works, there is no plausible mechanism for it to work. There is no rational reason why it should work. If it worked, everything we knew about the universe would be wrong.

You are a dangerous lying charlatan. - Rhianna does Medicine Year 1

6)   The problem is thenoseknows thinks he's giving good advice. He KNOWS homeopathy can cure oodles of diseases, that SBM is inherently wrong and evil.

Someone with an ideology like this is impossible to reason with.

"Not understanding how something works is not proof that it doesn't"

Do you know how homeopathy works? Inform us, so we better understand. One rule though, you can't burst into laughter while you do it. - Nate

7)   Obviously epilepsy is a serious condition that requires the patient be seen and treated by a qualified medical doctor. The most logical choice of practitioner would be a a neurologist that has specialized training in epilepsy treatment. The patient should be evaluated and treated under the standard of care that has been established by the medical community that has the expertise in which to treat this condition.

With that said, I happen to be a person that practices chiropractic in the US. I have always respected the medical community for the most part and have aligned myself with excellent internists, pediatricians, orthopedic surgeons and podiatrist. I do believe that that the most important component of health care is CHOICE. A patient should always have the right to choose what is right for them after they have explored all options. Do I think there are unethical people out there trying to make a buck on the vulnerable, yes. Does it happen in the medical community, yes. Does this happen in every industry known to man, yes. There are passionate people on these forums who firmly believe in what they have to say and at times they are correct and at other times they are incorrect. It is up to the reader to apply their social, economic and cultural background to the issue and decide what is right for them.

As far a homeopathy and epilepsy is concerned, the results obtained are mostly via case study. This is the least reliable measure of the effectiveness of any treatment. However, if this person has stated that they dont want to use medicine to treat themselves and know the risks associated with that choice then that is their choice. Just like a woman having a radical mastectomy to be pro-active to avoid getting breast cancer; to some people this may sound like total insanity but for her it is HER choice and no one has the right to tell her that she is wrong. We can have our opinions and debate the moral and ethical consequences of it and both sides are allowed to do this and no one would be more correct than the other. But the bottom line is that people should have the right to make their own choices.

Is it wise to to treat epilepsy with homeopathy? Well that depends on who you ask. Ask the medical doctor and he will most likely say absolutely not! The naturopath will say yes. I have had patients with cancer who have been told by their MD that they need chemo or they will die. One particular gentlemen at 78 years of age told me he was moving to his familys home and going to live out his days with out treatment. I advised him and almost pleaded with him to take his Dr.s advise. I told him that he could even try other altmed therapies if he was afraid of chemo. A short time later I was informed that he died. It was very sad and it touched me deeply. But out of that I gained a knowledge and respect for people to decide what they want to do with their lives and their health.

It may be bad form to answer a question with a question, but I ask you this. If you were diagnosed with a deadly illness and you chose to treat via the medical route and at the end of this treatment you were informed that everything was done and there is nothing else they could do to help you and you should go home and get your affairs in order, what would you do? Would you go lay down and die or would you search out something else to help you? I will end with a case that I dealt with in my practice. A patient presents to my office for back pain. Upon examination I and history I find that the patient has some disturbing findings with swallowing and eating. Referral to the primary care physician and additional follow up MRI reveals a tumor in his esophagus that is a type of cancer that is very malignant and very deadly (i dont remember the type). Treatment involved highly radioactive pellets be lowered into the esophagus and kept there for a certain amount of time to "burn" the cancerous cells away. The person who did the procedure made a mistake and didnt place the pellets in the right area and missed the tumor. This procedure could only be done once due to the high level of radiation involved and the patient was told to go home and prepare for death. He died. What would you do? - Marc

8)   In the first place - the very DEFINITION of epilepsy is seizures WITHOUT a known cause. My understanding of homeopathy is that you must know the CAUSE before you can prescribe a treatment - since Alternative Medicine devotees constantly blame the traditional medical comunity of just treating the symptoms - you could scarcely believe that Homeopaths would comit the SAME cardinal sin. So your question makes no sense on the face of it.

Thenoseknows statement: "...There are hundreds upon hundreds of clinical records that prove that Homeopathy cured infinite numbers of cases of epilepsy... This is far weightier evidence..."

is actually quite embarrasing. To imagine that anyone hoping to have the slightest bit of credibility would claim that homeopathy (or ANY system) has CURED INFINITE (?????????) cases of anything is quite simply laughable. ROFLMAO!!!!! - Joe


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Question 3
Isn't alternative medicine Pseudoscience?...  If it were proven to work, it would be science.

Answers
1)   In the most part I believe so however sometimes it can encompass medicines and remedies that are yet to be accepted but may prove to work in future - Johnathos

2)   No, it's conventional medicine that relies on pseudoscience to bamboozle people into thinking that it's better than it really is.
80% of conventional medicine has no scientific studies behind it at all. It's not "evidence" based, it's theoretical and clinically based. But when holistic medicine holds up clinical studies, it's lambasted. What you mean to call science is actually just scientism -- a pseudo-religious type belief in drugs over more natural methods. It's nothing more than an attitude. - thenoseknows

3)   Most of our medicines today are derrived from plants, like in holistic medicines and herbal remedies. So you can take them in their natural state or have some lab make up a pill with horrible side effects? - Nancy

4)   The vast majority of alternative medicine branches use pseudoscience to to explain themselves, yes. Many of them try to rationalize pre-scientific, 'new age' or superstitious concepts such as 'vital' or life force' energies (like qi, chi, chakras) that need balancing, unblocking, re-aligning or other such nonsense. These alternative medicines have no business treating any condition that is not self limiting.

Others are outright scams like magnet therapy, detox, homeopathy; all of which have no basis in reality. There is very scant evidence for the efficacy of any of them, and what evidence there is, is typically poor quality. But they still invent sciency sounding baloney to market themselves to the gullible, venerable and the worried well.

Some herbals show promise; but raw drugs handed out by unregulated people with little or no medicine training is fraught with danger. - Gary Y

5)   Psychiatry is pseudoscience. No proof, no cures, no science. Every mental illness is approved or disapproved by a raise of hands. 12 for, 9 against....a new mental illness is "discovered". O_o - ƦєdAиgєℓ

6)   Yeah, you pretty much hit the nail on the head.

EDIT: Can't make money off of something because it's natural? Saffron, kobe beef, marble, mahogany are all "all natural" substances and people turn a giant profit with all of them. - Flizbap 2.0

7)   Yes, science consider herbs as pseudoscience.Why? because science can,t patent them. They consider man -make drugs as medicine. Yes , their drugs rarely cure anything in 20 year just made them million of dollar . The side affect kill you or give you other aliments. - Neg0s A-sir


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Question 4
how can I find good things about acupuncture?...  for school lecture

Answers
1)   Like any other project, you just have to do your research. Its not easy or fun, but we've all done it at one time or another. You can't rely on others to do it for you, so get started. - Nurse For 20 Years

2)   Acupuncture basically is a way to improve blood circulation in our body. - Alvin

3)   I'd watch what a practitioner of Acupuncture has to say on Youtube or get in touch with a Acupuncture clinic about it. I actually have heard nothing bad just people who say it is coincidence you were cured - BetheOne

4)   Google Traditional Chinese Medicine, of which Acupuncture is one component. There are plenty of independent web sites, including those of colleges where practitioners go to study. Avoid second-hand sources like Wikipedia. - thenoseknows

5)   Google "acupuncture placebo" - Nate

6)   acupuncture is being taught and used in usa medical schools and hospitals because it is proven itself to work.
look up acupuncture charts and treatments for conditions also.
you can google/yahoo research all the information yourself.
Acupuncture is used in conjuction with traditional chinese medicine , since they are taught together - NA


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Question 5
As an MS recipient, can I get another Neurologist to prescribe what was given before?...  I have MS, I smoke weed! I"ve also been prescribed by my Neurologist, percocet 7.5 for pain, and adderall 20 mg for extreme fatigue, for the last 2 years. I recently was instructed to take a urine exam to see if I was indeed taking the prescribed narcotics. Well, of course there were the prescribed drugs in my system as well as marijuana. My Neurologist has now discontinued the prescriptions due to the weed in my system. Will another neurologist give me the prescriptions I need too sustain what has been bearable pain with what I was prescribed. I mean, he wouldn't have me taking them if I did not need them..

Answers
1)   He'll probably try to get you a spot in an addiction recovery program, which is what you likely need.
The follow up from any other doctor will include getting your previous medical records. - thenoseknows

2)   If the weed helps you, you need to find a doctor that believes in medical marijuana, any other will consider it as a drug. You may stop smoking the weed for a while, until is very little in your system, then go to another doctor and do not tell him about the weed or just say you need it sometimes as your pain is so severe, say you need the prescribed medication and you want to change doctors. Ask around about doctors that prescribe medical marijuana, he will be able to write the other medication too. - Ms know it all

3)   my mother has MS also, and she has the shakes bad with it. One day my husband and I gave her some to smoke, and with surprise the woman got of her chair with no problems, and she wasn't even shaking. It was neat to watch her. I told her she had to tell the doctor about it, but she didnt want anyone to know. That was 10 years ago, and she still wont tell them about it. And out of al the medicines she has ben on for the shaking thats the only thing I have seen that has stopped the shaking. She has had MS since 1985. But you should see about the new medicines TYSBRI, my mother has been on it the past year, the MS is stable, which is a great news. Good luck!!!!!!!! - Stacey

4)   I agree that you should just find a neurologist that doesn't mind you taking it. The medications they prescribe are little more than placebo, and expensive ones at that. They have a lot of audacity to restrict your use of somethng that actually helps you, when all they have costs thousands of dollars monthly for little to no help at all.
I hope this new stem cell replacements for spinal cord injuries will translate quickly to conditions like MS, stay on top of that, and best wishes to you. - NA


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