I'd like to comment on the bit about acupuncture being mainly a placebo effect. Before I discovered that I had ME/CFS, one doctor sent me to the mental health clinic. The only suggestion they had was to try traditional Chinese medicine (I assume one of the workers was a fan of that). Having no other options, I gave it a try. I was skeptical about acupuncture, but thought I might as well give it a try. Thus I had no real expectations of a response, which I assume is required for the placebo effect.
When I walked out of the clinic, I realized that my muscle aches were gone, and they remained gone for several days. So my experience is that acupuncture can have real effects. LDN later proved to be as effective for reducing those aches. I tried acupuncture one more time, since I'd read that specific points could reduce immune response, but that set of points had no effect. I didn't repeat the first set of points, because I considered the muscle aches to be useful for telling me which foods and activities to avoid.
I didn't try any TCM herbal remedies, because the prescription was based on the theory of four humous and magical energy, which is nonsense to me, and I might as well pick herbs at random. I have had herbs--such as cumin seed--reduce symptoms effectively albeit temporarily, but those were surprises, and thus not placebo. I've tried other herbs that had me hoping for a beneficial effect, and had either no effect or a surprise negative effect.