Often acupuncturists express resentment when acupuncture is said to be placebo, viewing that as dismissive of acupuncture. I am not at all sure that this perception is actually dismissive.
Placebo is nothing more then the activation of the body's own healing capabilities.
There is no doubt that we are built to heal ourselves. Each of us does it every time we injure ourselves.
If we bruise or cut ourselves or break a bone, the body rally's and begin the process of self healing. It is a truly amazing thing that we often take for granted.
These are examples of self healing that we are all quite familiar with and thus don't view as particularly special or unique.
Placebo effect, in my view, is simply the body invoking a different self healing system, with which we are less familiar.
Acupuncture, in part, operates through our self healing system. It activates various system component, and as I like to say -- reminds the body how to move towards health. Using this paradigm, viewing acupuncture as part of the placebo effect is in no manner dismissive of the power and benefits of the medicine.
For more information on the placebo effect, see this TedMed talk by Ted Kaptchuck.
NYC Acupuncture Blog
Questions?
Contact Elizabeth Healy, L.Ac. @ 917.968.2854
