Conclusion
Ear candles are based on the absurd idea that this method removes ear wax or toxins from the body; it is not supported by evidence.
Feldenkrais Method
A technique aimed at body and mind integration, based on the notion that correcting poor habits of movement will improve health.
Background
Moshe Feldenkrais (1904–1984) was a physicist and electro-engineer who suffered badly from chronic knee pain. No treatment he tried helped and he thus decided to develop his own cure.
The Feldenkrais method is based on the belief that body and spirit form a fundamental whole. The founder declared, ‘I believe that the unity of mind and body is an objective reality. They are not just parts somehow related to each other, but an inseparable whole while functioning.’ Feldenkrais published his first book outlining his philosophy in 1949 — Body and Mature Behavior: A Study of Anxiety, Sex, Gravitation and Learning.
The therapy is carried out in two steps: during the ‘functional integration’ phase, the practitioner uses touch to demonstrate to the patient techniques that improve breathing and body movement. During the subsequent ‘awareness through movement’ phase, the practitioner teaches the patient to correct so-called false movements.
The aim is to improve everyday functions. According to Feldenkrais, behaviour is not innate, but is merely acquired. False behaviour, he thought, was ‘a groove into which a person sinks never to leave unless some physical force makes him do so’. His treatment, he was convinced, provides that force.
The therapy consists of a series of sessions usually carried out in small groups. Once the lessons are learned, the patient has to practise continuously at home. The conditions treated include musculoskeletal problems, multiple sclerosis and psychosomatic problems.
What is the evidence?
Only about half a dozen rigorous clinical trials are currently available. Their results are far from uniform. Some, but not all, results suggest that the Feldenkrais method is useful for multiple sclerosis patients. For other conditions, the evidence is even less convincing. There are no conceivable serious risks.
Conclusion
The Feldenkrais method is not well researched, and there is currently no compelling evidence that it is effective for any condition.
Feng Shui
The Chinese art of placing objects in accordance with the theory of yin and yang in order to optimize the flow of life energy, which, in turn, is thought to influence health and wellbeing.
Background
Chinese medicine assumes that all health is governed by the flow of energy (Ch’i) and the balance of yin and yang within the body, but these concepts can also be applied to the things that surround us. Feng shui consultants give advice on the position of objects in an office or home. They may, for instance, place a screen in a certain position to make sure that the energy is travelling in the right direction, or they might advise their clients to reposition their beds so that they can benefit from the right energy flow while sleeping.
Feng shui is not biologically plausible, because its basic tenets make no sense in the context of modern science. The benefit some people experience after following the advice of feng shui consultants could be due to expectation and has no physiological basis, nor is it likely to last.
Feng shui consultants do not normally claim to cure diseases, but they say that their work can improve wellbeing and prevent ill-health. Increasingly, feng shui consultants are giving advice on how to deal with the health effects of electromagnetic fields in the home, even though there is no evidence that such fields are harmful. These consultants generally charge considerable amounts of money for their services.
What is the evidence?
It would not be difficult to test some of these claims, but as yet there have been no serious studies. However, informal tests comparing the judgements of feng shui consultants demonstrate significant conflicts over their interpretation of the energy flow in any given space, which implies that their advice is based on subjective imaginings.
Therefore all we can say is that there is no evidence to show that feng shui does anything but enrich those who promote it.
Conclusion
Feng shui is based on biologically implausible concepts and there is no evidence to show that it works. A competent interior designer can probably offer equally good, if not better, advice.
Food Supplements
Substances usually taken by mouth to increase the intake of vitamins, minerals, fats, amino-acids or other natural substances in order to maintain or improve health, fitness or wellbeing.
Background
Food supplements are a relatively new invention. At present, sales are booming. Regulation of food supplements varies nationally but, generally speaking, it is very lax. Manufacturers can sell supplements without providing proof that they do any good at all, and often without sufficient data on safety.
Medical claims are not normally allowed for food supplements. This does not, however, stop the industry from cleverly conveying the message that this or that supplement is effective for treating this or that condition. Health writers, books and the internet relentlessly target the consumer with exactly that aim.
What is the evidence?
It is obvious that not all food supplements are the same, as is the case with herbal supplements, which were discussed in detail in Chapter 5. Some are likely to be useful and are supported by evidence; others are either unproven or disproven, and many supplements carry risks of adverse effects. The dangers can be due to a supplement’s inherent properties, contamination (e.g. heavy metals), or adulteration (e.g. synthetic drugs). Also, it is likely that there are many adverse effects that are not known due to lack of research and under-reporting.
Fish-oil capsules, as discussed in Chapter 6, are an excellent example of an effective supplement, because they have been proved to reduce the risk of heart disease. They may also reduce inflammation, which might make them beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis and many other conditions.
Shark cartilage, also discussed in Chapter 6, is an example of a popular supplement which has been shown to be ineffective. Although it is probably harmless, it can distract patients from seeking more appropriate treatment and it is certainly damaging for the sharks who are victims of the supplement industry.
Vitamin B6 is an example of a supplement that can be harmful in large doses. It can result in nerve damage to the arms and legs. There are several reports of people reporting such complications having taken 500mg of B6 per day.
Conclusion
Food supplements are a very broad category — too broad to generalize. Some are undoubtedly helpful in certain situations. For many others, the effectiveness is uncertain or even disproven. Adverse effects can occur.
Hypnotherapy
The use of hypnosis, a trance-like state, for therapeutic purposes.
Background
Hypnotherapy has a long history — it can be traced back to ancient Egypt — but its modern development started in the eighteenth century with the work of the charismatic Viennese scientist Anton Mesmer. He was followed in the nineteenth century by the Scottish physician James Braid.