@Oddthinking IDK, for me, working with a medical professional has more to do with their attentiveness and ability to repeat my symptoms back to me, because I'm going to look up everything they suggest or prescribe anyway.

After I've been with them for a while, results weigh heavily. I keep good notes on my reactions to new treatments. Stuff that doesn't work gets the boot.

But there's a principle issue for you, I guess? Well, you'll have to find a new provider then, if that's what your principles demand.

As for dry needling, I'd try it a few times, if I had conditions that called for it. I've had some needle like work for a shoulder separation, with mixed results. At the time, I was young and very poor, so I had only three treatments, instead of the 6-10 everyone suggested.

If I feel better, do I need empirical science to agree with me? That's why I'll try a little woo here and there.

@LаngLаngС In my regular business, I often get to go to these medical expos. It can be pretty fun, seeing super high tech, 10 million dollar machines, all the way down to magic doodads that make water better somehow.

I'd say the "MBA effect" you reference is most often seen in specialty vitamin formulas.

The fun ones are obscure molecules that may or may not affect health greatly, but there's evidence they do some equally obscure thing in the body. Off the top of my head, some examples: a telomere lengthening supplement, ergothionine (a fungi amino), xantathaxin for skin tightening.

There's often some nerd who discovered a novel use or creation process, then he partners with an MBA and starts a business.

Alas, it's been March since I got to an expo. :(

@fredsbend As long as it doesn't have any risks, direct costs or opportunity costs... but dry needling has all three.

@fredsbend Note the danger that there are a whole lot of treatments they don't suggest to you. You are only checking the treatments and ailments they do suggest.