Alternative medicine in Romania

S.F.

New Blood
Joined
Jan 28, 2007
Messages
18
I live in Romania and alternative medicine is thriving here. As far as I know, there are no skeptics that officially challenge them; well not yet! :D

I want to know which techniques are quacks and which ones aren't. Here's a list of what they generally offer:

Stuff I haven't found enough info on - I'd like you to comment on these.
1) Muscular electrostimulation (???)
2) A device called the D.D.F.A.O. (don't know what the initials mean) that spits out an ELECTROSOMATOGRAM (ESM)
3) A device called "ROFES" that does a "computerised functional diagnostic"
4) Bioptron laser
5) Quantic medicine through a thing called "MIL QUANTTERRA"
6) Bioresonance
7) Mezotherapy
8) Vibroacoustic Therapy
9) Aerosol with mineral waters
10) Chromotherapy (Colour therapy)

On the ROFES device: altermed.ro/rofes.html
On the DDFAO device: altermed.ro/esg.html
Aparently this one scans for "bioconductibility" and was developed in the USSR to use on cosmonauts.

Known Quackery:
1) Homeopathy
2) Iridiology
3) Reflexology
4) Aromatherapy
5) Ayurveda
6) Reiki

Neutral Stuff
1) Sauna
2) Massage

What other stuff their list is quackery apart from those selected as such and in what ways?
I'm interested in exposing the frauds.
 
Fraud & Quackery: Internet Resources: Alternative Medicine

http://www.pitt.edu/~cbw/fraud.html

This site has a link to the original (.com) Quackwatch that may not work well; if you have trouble, substitute .org as Quackwatch is probably your best source of info.

It is difficult to keep up with specific names of quack devices. Although some devices you listed sound like classic quackery, I didn't recognize any names. One thin is sure- any reference to quantum mechanics ("quantic") is nonsense.​
 
1) Muscular electrostimulation (???)
It also helps to know what the claims are for the particular treatment, and in what context the claims are being made. Electro-stimulation of muscle is a known treatment to stave off and assist recovery from atrophy and certain types of damage, and can promote the regeneration of motor neurons. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (done in pretty much the same manner) is a known treatment for certain types of pain.

It's also a less common sexual fetish.

If the treatment is claimed to do anything other than treat certain types of muscle disorders or temporarily relieve pain, then it's most likely woo.
 
Neutral Stuff
1) Sauna
2) Massage

Massage Therapy is quackery, though getting a massage because you want one and it feels good and it certainly isn't.

What are the exact sauna claims? If they use words like 'purify', 'detox', or 'cleanse' it's probably quackery.
 
Stuff I haven't found enough info on - I'd like you to comment on these.
1) Muscular electrostimulation (???)

As luchog says, this can be a real treatment. It depends on what they are claiming to do with it.

2) A device called the D.D.F.A.O. (don't know what the initials mean) that spits out an ELECTROSOMATOGRAM (ESM)

Extreme quackery. They claim to be able to tell everything about your body by placing electrodes on the skull, hands and feet and measuring the body's resistance. This claim is simply nonsensical. Some very telling evidence that it is pure quackery is that they are terribly excited that it uses a computer.

3) A device called "ROFES" that does a "computerised functional diagnostic"

A lot more techinal gobeldegook with this one, but it seems to be fairly similar to the DDFAO thing. It is hard to tell exactly what it does, but it seems to use a very basic electric probe that is placed against the skin. A computer then makes up some stuff about energy meridians, ancient elements and various other stuff that doesn't exist. It then recommends different quack therapies like acupuncture and colour therapy. Once again, extreme quackery, but with more money behind it.

4) Bioptron laser

Yet more quackery. It is a torch. That's all. It is a torch that gives out a limited spectrum of light from the near-infrared to blue visible. It is also polarised, although they don't say in what plane or whether it is linear or circular. It is not a laser, and although many of the sites writing about claim it is, their own website makes it very clear that it is not, and even points out the difference between it and laser light. As far as I can tell their claim is basically that you shine the light on someone and they magically heal and feel wonderfully better, although there doesn't seem to be any reason why this would happen. Funnily enough the pictures imply that this should be done in a well lit room indoors, where the light from this device will be pretty much identical to the sunlight all around, the UV having been filtered out by the windows. Quack quack quack.

5) Quantic medicine through a thing called "MIL QUANTTERRA"

Sorry, I can't find anything about this.

6) Bioresonance

This is standard New Age rubbish. The usual blather about resonant frequencies and applying them to the body so that it's "healing potential" can be increased, whatever that's supposed to mean. They don't seem to understand anything about electromagnetics or that light is in fact electromagnetic and seem to think that sound can have the same effect as light. They probably wouldn't know science if it hit them repeatedly in the head with their own vibrational energy. Quack.

7) Mezotherapy

Sounds like quackery, but is hard to tell for sure. It appears to consist of injecting small amounts of something under the skin to reduce cellulite deposits. Depending on what they are injecting I see no reason why it couldn't work, but they are very secretive about what it actually is. I think it is likely to be a genuine treatment, but a very superficial and completely uneccessary one. A small amount of exercise and a decent diet would almost certainly get better results.

8) Vibroacoustic Therapy

Listening to music while having your body vibrate. No doubt this is relaxing, but if it claims to actually be useful in anyway then it is quackery. It is described by its proponents as an "internal massage", and that is exactly what it appears to be - nice and relaxing, but pointless. Quack quack.

9) Aerosol with mineral waters

I'm not sure what you mean by this. Does this mean sprying mineral water through an aerosol, or an spraying an aerosol while drinking mineral water, or something entirely different? In general, mineral water itself is quackery, since it is not any different from any other water. However, this may not be true in some countries where tap water is not as clean or safe. The UK foreign office advises drinking only bottled water in Romania.

10) Chromotherapy (Colour therapy)

Oh dear, oh dear. Apparently showing people colours can heal them and make them happy. Unfortunately people generally agree that I have no taste in clothing, so if the chromotherapy people are right I'm probably already dead.

Neutral Stuff
1) Sauna
2) Massage

As strathmeyer says, these depend on the claims made for them. Saunas and massages are relaxing, and massaging can help damaged muscles feel less stiff, even if they don't actually heal any faster. Claims of curing disease and accelerating healing are definately quackery.

Edit : I only had a quick look at most of these things, so I could have missed things. Feel free to correct me if anyone spots any mistakes.
 
Last edited:

Back
Top Bottom