Acupuncture Science

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Acupuncture: Still The Sharp Choice Alternative Pain Relief Method

The ancient Chinese alternative healing method called Acupuncture is now a popular and widely accepted alternative pain relief method in the United States. An estimated 15 million Americans have tried this “unconventional” therapy. It is offered in many chronic pain clinics and is covered by some insurers and managed health organizations. The Chinese therapy of acupuncture has been used for millions of years to treat a range of ailments. Now it looks like Western medicine is getting the point. The intent of acupuncture therapy is to promote health and alleviate pain and suffering. The method by which this is accomplished, though it may seem strange and mysterious to many, has been tested over thousands of years and continues to be validated today.

The perspective from which an acupuncturist views health and sickness hinges on concepts of “vital energy,” “energy balance” and “energy imbalance.” Just as the Western medical doctor monitors the blood flowing through blood vessels and the messages traveling via the nervous system, the acupuncturist assesses the flow and distribution of this “vital energy” within its pathways, known as “meridians and channels.”

The World Health Organization recommends acupuncture as an alternative pain relief for more than 40 conditions as diverse as asthma and chronic pain. The Food and Drug Administration regulates acupuncture needles as medical devices, the same as it does surgical tools. And in 1997, a National Institutes of Health panel found acupuncture to be an acceptable treatment for many pain conditions, including fibromyalgia and general musculoskeletal pain.

Modern studies have revealed that acupuncture stimulates one or more of the signaling systems, which under certain circumstances, can increase the rate of healing response. This may be sufficient to cure a disease, or it might only reduce its impact (alleviate some symptoms). These findings can explain most of the clinical effects of acupuncture therapy.

It is also no surprise that some rheumatologists recommend acupuncture to be used alongside more conventional treatments. There are a few patients who even perform the acupuncture treatments on themselves.
When performed by a properly trained and licensed practitioner, acupuncture is safe and effective, free from adverse or addictive side effects. Quite often, a sense of relaxation and well-being occurs during and after treatments. While undergoing therapy for one ailment, other problems may resolve concurrently. This is a common side benefit that again demonstrates the value of balancing the quality and quantity of “vital energy” within the entire person.

Licensed acupuncturists know the human anatomy well, and insert needles in a safe fashion. The instruments used to penetrate the skin are either pre-sterilized and disposable after a single use, or disinfected and sterilized in an autoclave, as surgical and dental instruments are, after each use.
Although most evidence supporting acupuncture can be dismissed as anecdotal, trials have been done where acupuncture does show a pain relieving effect above placebo. The effect is not large, of the same magnitude as taking Aspirin or Ibuprofen, but nonetheless it's there and cannot be ignored.

Article Source: http://www.articlenorth.com

Choose Variety of High Quality Medicines at Online MedicinesEnjoyed Reading this article? More here: Pharmacy ArticlesCecill Artates is a writer, athlete, and women's health advocate. She is also active in promoting sports and health among women and the youth in disadvantaged communities. The author is also currently researching on various alternative and natural medications.

How Dangerous is the Practice of Acupuncture?

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Acupuncture today is a widely used 2000 year old medical procedure stimulating a variety of body pressure points. This technique commonly involves the penetration of a persons skin with thin metallic needles, manipulated by the hands and/ or through electrical stimulation.

What is seen by many people to work wonders outside the realms of modern heavily tested medicine, is also seen by a similar number as having limited anecdotal evidence, in terms of actual effectiveness.

Whilst many people take this often termed 'alternative' medical method so as to relieve stress and reduce any pains, among other uses, rarely do these patients consider potential inherent dangers.

Generally problems don't arise from the application of acupuncture. Since the body's outer defense, the skin, is penetrated infection is the largest concern. Instances have purportedly arisen where re-used needles have spread ailments like hepatitis. Studies in the past on acupuncture infections have apparently shown 35 percent of all needles used to be 're-used'. In this case promoting the use of disposable needles is best, whenever engaging in invasive acupuncture.

Haematomas are apparently possible when major blood circulatory structures are punctured. Persons with bleeding disorders or on a course of steroids should not participate in acupuncture due to potential increased fragility of their tissues. Similarly, nerve injury may be possible, brain damage possible with deep skin penetration around the base of the skull.

Advice found on the internet states that people who have brittle bones, osteoporosis or a history of injuries to the spine should stay clear of acupuncture since it involves strong applications of localized physical pressure on the patients body. Indeed recommendations exist for keeping people with poor leg blood circulation away from leg acupuncture due to a possible worsening of their circulation, post-acupuncture. Carpal tunnel syndrome (pinching of nerves leading to prolonged numbness and sharp jolts of pain) is also said to potentially get aggravated through the use of acupuncture.

Other acupuncture problems encountered have been isolated cases of lung or bladder punctures through too deep insertion of the acupuncture needles.

Needles can on rare occasions break, or allergic reactions can take place if the needles are constructed from more exotic materials than the usual steel.

The use of acupuncture on pregnant women has been said to increase particular hormones responsible for bringing the onset of labor. The fetus has been claimed to be harmed by the actions of acupuncturists during early pregnancy.

Stories abound of all kinds of yet more unusual dangerous happenings. Some acupuncture practitioners have claimed that patients have been admitted to mental hospitals after inappropriate acupuncture sessions, such is their perceived power inherent in this Chinese art.

The World Health Organization has apparently claimed that if doctors recognized acupuncture as a so called 'proper' medical procedure unscrupulous practitioners would be less likely to take up acupuncture due to it being more regulated.

Another point of view has surfaced stating that acupuncture works with religious, psychological and occult principles, not scientific principles. As such, the scientific community would never accept acupuncture as a truly practical medical procedure.

Over reliance on alternative therapies should be kept to a minimum since practitioners are not usually trained doctors that are able to recognize serious illnesses from their symptoms.

Acupuncture needs to be administered in hygienic premises on a patient that is not suffering in any way, e.g. exhausted, bleeding or heart trouble. What must be remembered is that all of these dangers can be kept to an absolute minimum through using trained/ professional acupuncturists.

Author Resource:- If you want to know the location of the nearest acupuncture treatment center visit http://www.acupuncturetreatmentcenter.com/acupuncturealerts/15/find-acupuncture-schools/ .

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What is acupuncture?

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It is a form of holistic healthcare that is used to prevent and treat certain diseases as well as relieve pain and anesthetize patients for surgery. Research shows that this began in China and has been practiced for more than 5,000 years.

The earliest account of this is found in the book called Nei Jing which in English means the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine. The contents of this book date somewhere around 200 BC. Back then, they did not use metal needles and instead used those made out of stone, moxibustion and herbs to treat a patient.

Acupuncture prevents and treats diseases by inserting very fine needles into the skin specifically at the anatomic points of the body.

The principle behind this concept is that illnesses occur because there is an imbalance in your life force otherwise known as Qi. It is believed that this flows in 14 channels in the human body known as meridians which branch out to bodily organs and functions. If there is a blockage or obstruction in any of them, this is when you succumb to a disease or an illness.

The imbalance in the Qi may go one way or the other because of Yin and Yang. The person can only be normal if there is harmony between the two which is what acupuncture is trying to achieve. This can only be restored by stimulating these acupuncture points so your Qi can be adjusted, balanced and harmonized.

Apart from using needles, practitioners also use friction, heat, impulses of electromagnetic energy and pressure to stimulate these points in order to balance the movement of energy in the body to reduce one’s health.

An example of this is sonopuncture where an ultrasound device that transmits sound waves is applied to these points in the body. Some use a tuning fork and other vibration devices.

Acupressure is another example and here, the fingers are used to relive the pain. This can be used by itself or with other manual healing techniques.

Impulses of electromagnetic energy are used because our bodies generate tiny but electrical discharges which influence the function, growth and maturity of certain types of cells. By inserting the needles in these areas, it stimulates and alters the neurotransmitters in the body thus making the patient feel better after treatment. This is also sometimes used for diagnosis and testing.

According to the World Health Organization or WHO, here is a list of some illnesses where acupuncture is used. These include acute bronchitis, the common cold, cataract, toothaches, gingivitis, hiccups, ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, headache and migraine, Meniere’s disease, osteoarthritis and a lot more. In the US, acupuncture is often used to treat chronic pain conditions and mind body disorders.

But acupuncture is not risk free. Hematoma may develop if the needle punctures a circulatory structure. It is also possible that pneumothorax may occur if the needle is inserted too deep. There is also the risk of HIV and hepatitis if the needle was not properly sterilized.

Now that you know what acupuncture is, you must not forget that it is merely an alternative and not a proper form of medical treatment. This means you should still be examined by a professional in the medical field who can determine the severity of your illness or disease.