Does anyone know if accupuncture would help tendonitis of the shoulder. My husband went to an osteopath for it and it seems to have made it worse.

Actually I ate more when I gave up smoking, it was nothing to with acupuncture!

In fact before acupuncture, I tried to gave up, put on weight, started again. Repeated several times before a friend tricked me into going for acupuncture in Brixton, she said I had promised to go one Friday night after a few beers at the George pub at London Bridge, so she had booked the appointment. So I was dragged out of bed on a Saturday morning, because I was told the 25 quid had already been spent.

She hadn't paid for me, she told me a porky, but it had the desired effect. When I went, it was the weirdest thing I had ever felt. He put needles in my arms and legs and twiddled them every now and then. I was lying on a couch in a darkened room for about 25 minutes, with relaxing music playing. To me it felt like someone had put their hand inside my stomach and was touching parts I never even knew I had. It wasn't painful, but it was - well - weird is the only word I can think of!!! In retrospect there was nothing really scary about it, but at the time I think only my shoulders and my ankles were touching the couch - I was rigid, LOL!

After the acupuncture, I came away with two mini needles, one in the lobe of each ear. I was told to twiddle them if I wanted a cigarette. However I had no desire to smoke even in situations where I would normally have been craving cigarettes, eg when drinking in a pub, or after a meal. I found that quite incredible. However, I also became more aware of my situation and of things that irritated me, and people could not get used to my new self assertiveness, which cased a few problems at work for others! But all I was doing was becoming more aware and self confident. I was not being aggressive, but people simply couldn't understand the change. I suppose I was no longer such a pushover. It felt as if I had woken up after a prolonged and drugged state of semi-slumber. Which is probably exactly what it was!

In actual fact I did deliberately smoke again after about 3 weeks for a further 3 months, and next time planned a time when I wanted to give it up, over the Christmas holidays. This was mainly due to me having a sudden change of attitude at work after the 1st acupuncture. I could see it was just too much for some people to handle. I never imagined it would work so effectively, I didn't really believe it would work. As my friend pointed out, you can go back and you can get the acupuncture done again, and it works just as well. The second time I did it was the last time, and I knew what to expect. So I suppose it's just like fasting really, best to pick a good time, when you are ready to make the change.

Having said all that, it worked for my friend who tricked me into going, and for me, but I know someone else that went and it did nothing for them, so I think it is down to the individual, or maybe attitude. But you don't necessarily have to believe in it for it to work, that's something I can absolutely assure you of!!