History Of Acupuncture Therapy

The History of Acupuncture Medicine

There are many age-old medicines that have been used for thousands of years in the treatments of plenty of problems, many of these physical but there are also emotional problems that can be cured with alternative therapies. Cynics feel acupuncture is a phony medical ploy the Chinese developed in increase their influence in the West. Acupuncture has achieved a good level of acceptability in Western cultures, nevertheless, the myth of how it started is not accurate. If you truly do not know how acupuncture got its start then here are a few pieces information that one should know about in order to believe that acupuncture is a real therapy:

Acupuncture Was Used Thousands of Years Ago

In an attempt to debunk any myths or disbeliefs within the field of acupuncture, this therapy was actually instituted very many centuries ago in the ancient Chinese civilizations. Chinese medical authorities feel acupuncture developed in China thousands of years ago because there were no proven medical procedures then. Chloroform didn’t exist in ancient China and there were no medical treatments either except the ones they developed themselves.

What were the diseases that acupuncture was developed to cure in ancient China?

The Chines initially used acupuncture to cure colds and relieve pain, but gradually it was usede for many more complex diseases. There is no one long list of sicknesses and illnesses that acupuncture was responsible for curing, but acupuncture therapy was generally called upon and used to treat virtually every type of disease and ailment that came along. Already mentioned was the fact that acupuncture therapy was used to treat the common cold and headaches, but some of the other diseases that could easily have been cured with acupuncture when it first got started include such things as constipation, arthritis, ear aches, toothaches, as well as upset stomachs. All of these things were naturally experienced by the ancient Chinese as well as other humans throughout the world, which leads many people to believe that they were also naturally cured through the use of acupuncture.

How Did Acupuncture Spread

There are many theories as to how the introduction of acupuncture was brought to other countries throughout the world. When word spread that acupuncture was an amazing new medical panacea,its supporters promoted it within their communities and taught people how to use it. Acupuncture wasn’t readily adopted here in the U.S. until recently, yet its benefits have been numerous.

Acupuncture has had an amazingevolution over the years and it is gaining widespread acceptance as a miralce cure for many ailments. Even though the Chinese realize acupuncture is a panacea, there still are people who aren’t sold on it as a legitimate medical treatment!

For many patients, that benefit lasted for a year, the team reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

To read the complete article at abcnews.go.com, click here.

An Unknown

The questions on the minds of so many people, who are afraid of something unknown is, are there side effects? They want to know if anything can go wrong with this treatment. The answer is a reassuring one; almost nothing can go wrong.

If you want to avoid complications during acupuncture therapy the first thing to do is be certain that the acupuncturist that you are seeing is properly licensed. In the United States sometimes these professionals are also medical people but they need not be. They must attend school to get their licenses and then they can practice. Most European countries demand that acupuncturists be doctors who have specialized in that field. When you go see the acupuncturist if you do not see proof of a license ask to see it. If they cannot provide that proof you should leave.

The next question asked usually has to do with the needles. Are they clean? In America the laws are very specific. Acupuncturist’s who are licensed but are not medical doctors must use disposable needles. These disposable needles must be used one time on a single patient and then be thrown out. This is not an option it must be done like this. Health care providers who are medical doctors who have decided to also practice acupuncture have the option of using disposable needles or reusable sterilized needles. They are given this option because as doctors they are accustomed to sterilizing the instruments they use in their daily practices.

Do not expect the acupuncturist to wear gloves. Acupuncture only rarely is accompanied with bleeding. If you research you will find that there are no cases of an infectious disease being passed from the patient to the acupuncturist or the other way around. That is a very reassuring statistic.

There are many studies that have been conducted to see of having acupuncture treatment is likely to leave the patient with any long lasting side effects. The answer to this is no. But some patients do experience side effects during or immediately after the treatment period. These may include a feeling of heaviness in the limbs, nausea or rarely some bruising at the insertion points. Yet, when you compare this to the side effects of so many prescription medications it seems a small risk to take. The benefits of acupuncture seem to outweigh the small possibility of a momentary side effect.

Although many doctors and researchers are still uncomfortable with acupuncture even after all these decades, they cannot refute the evidence that this method does have positive results for a high percentage of the patients that are seen. So, as long as the patient finds themselves a licensed practitioner who uses disposable or sterilized needles there is nothing to worry about.

Some of the medication that works have side effects and the pain that one endures waiting in the darkened room for sleep to come is more than some can tolerate. That is why headache sufferers continue to search for a treatment knowing that it can change their lives. It’s the same reason so many have turned to acupuncture hoping it is the answer.

The use of acupuncture for headache treatment is not new. It has been going on for hundreds of years. There are even acupuncturists who prefer to limit their practices solely to headache sufferers. This problem is one that acupuncture is known to help because it deals with more than just the pain. It works on the causes too.

In the last thirty years the use of acupuncture for headache care has been studied worldwide. The conclusions have shown the success of this treatment. Studies conducted over the last seven years prove continuously that there is improvement for the person who uses acupuncture as a headache treatment. They even show improvement for those suffering with cluster headaches, reported to be the worst, most painful of all headaches.

Statistics show that acupuncture does not necessarily stop headaches completely but it definitely reduces the average per month and the overall degree of headache pain. One study group found that after a three month course of acupuncture treatments the headache frequency went from having headaches nearly nine days out of a month to less than five. Those with migraines went from an average of seven headache days to only four monthly. Tension headaches were reduced from ten times monthly to half that. These positive results continued for ninety days after treatments stopped. During the treatment period only fifty percent of the patients required medication during their headaches. The control group required it among seventy percent of their people.

Another group in a recent study was given scalp acupuncture to deal with their headache pain. Headaches do not necessarily require pain relief that is only through the needles being put in the scalp. Depending on the cause of the headaches needles may be inserted on the arms and legs as well. Of those who used scalp acupuncture ninety eight percent not only had significant relief, no headaches or greatly diminished ones, but this relief lasted over six months after the treatments ended.

This continuing evidence of acupuncture success with headache pain should be a message to all headache sufferers who are tired of the intense pain, the disruption to their days and want to try a treatment that will be safe.

Acupuncture is a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and like most forms of alternative medicine, individuals turn to it when they feel that traditional medicine is not doing enough to help them or else they are looking for a form of treatment that can complement the Western medicine and/or treatments they are presently receiving. When doing research on branches of alternative medicine a person wants to know right away if a particular type of natural healing methods can do just that- heal. Lets take a look at whether acupuncture can help what ails a person or not.

In order to know if acupuncture will help your particular medical condition you must speak with a qualified practitioner of acupuncture. He or she will want to know your extensive medical history including any allergies you have and what illnesses and injuries you have suffered in the past. Only after knowing these things can a potential form of treatment be decided upon.

As a general rule if the traditional Western medicine and/or treatment are not proving to be as successful as a person hoped it would be then it is time to consider an alternative route such as acupuncture. Also if you are spending far too much on medicine and you are going broke then acupuncture might be a worthwhile option to consider for your medical needs. Another time when acupuncture is often desirable is if a person is suffering a number of side effects due to the form of treatment they are presently taking. There tend to be very few side effects to acupuncture if a qualified professional does it.

There are many different health conditions that can be helped with acupuncture treatments. Some examples of the respiratory diseases that acupuncture can help include acute sinusitis, acute rhinitis, acute tonsillitis and the common cold. Acute bronchitis and bronchial asthma are both bronchopulmonary diseases that acupuncture has been shown to have excellent results in helping. The eye disorders acupuncture helps include acute conjunctivitis, cataract that has no complications, myopia, and central retinitis.

The mouth cavity disorders acupuncture helps include toothaches, gingivitis, pharyngitis, and pain or discomfort that sometimes takes place after a tooth is extracted. The orthopedic disorders acupuncture helps include periarthritis humeroscapularis, tennis elbow, lower back pain, rheumatoid arthritis and sciatica.

Finally acupuncture also improves gastrointestinal disorders as well as neurological disorders. The gastrointestinal disorders it helps include hiccups, gastroptosis, spasms that take place in the cardia and the esophagus, gastric hyperacidity, acute and chronic gastritis, chronic duodenal ulcer, acute bacterial dysentery, acute as well as chronic colitis, constipation, diarrhea, and paralytic ileus. The neurologic disorders it helps include headaches and migraines in particular, facial paralysis, trigeminal neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy, meniere’s syndrome, intercostals neuralgia, nocturnal enuresis, paralysis after an apoplectic fit, neurogenic bladder dysfunction, and paralysis that is caused by poliomyelitis.

The word acupuncture means needle piercing. That is a fairly accurate translation since this is a Chinese medicinal method by which thin needles are placed in specific places to cause certain reactions. These places are called acupuncture points. The belief here is that those special points will allow the rebalancing of the body’s energy and so allow for whatever is making a person unwell to be alleviated. Acupuncture treatments are best known as a method for relieving pain.

Unlike most medical courses of action acupuncture is part of Chinese philosophy not just a medical procedure and its success is best explained in these terms. The philosophy tells us that the balance of yin and yang, yin being dark and yang being light, the life elements, is what the aim of this traditional Chinese medicine is all about. If the yin and yang become out of sync the body becomes ill. Only restoring the balance can restore the body’s physical and emotional health.

Although many Westerner’s are still leery of such treatments the past forty years has seen the acceptance and increased use of acupuncture in North America. The needles must be put in very specific places to help very specific conditions. Despite this fact the uses of acupuncture is almost limitless. Acupuncture therapists claim that they can fix many respiratory conditions including the common cold. They can help gastrointestinal disorders like ulcers, colitis or gastritis. It is used for neurological and musculoskeletal disorders from migraine headaches to osteoarthritis, sciatica and even bed wetting. Many acupuncturists will tell you that a lot of chronic conditions that people are afflicted with like arthritis, skin disorders or injuries can be helped. It can also help eye and mouth problems like pink eye and gum disease. There are some acupuncture specialists who claim that they can help those suffering from depression, sleep disorders or chronic fatigue. Others will say they can cure such addictions as smoking, alcoholism, eating disorders or drug addictions.

Westerners, who really do not necessarily understand the idea of balancing the body’s yin and yang, are still turning to this method of healing because they are tired of modern medicine which is so much more invasive. They do not want to take pills for everything. They tire of pills to make them sleep or to make them feel happy. Many people are looking for natural methods to heal themselves. This is one reason that acupuncture continues its growth in popularity in the western world.

The basic and most well known method of acupuncture is the inserting of needles under the skin to heal or to relieve pain. But there is more to this basic method as well. What is done with the needles makes a big difference. The methods used involve thrusting, twirling, rotation, scarping, and trembling. Both scarping and trembling being methods of using vibrations to intensify the treatments. The method used to treat the individual patient depends completely on the reason they have gone to see the acupuncturist, the symptoms they are suffering from, the length of time the problem has been untreated or unsuccessfully treated and how the individual themselves respond to their treatments.

Other types of acupuncture include electro-acupuncture which is a method by which a mild current, so small it is measured in microamperes, pass through the needles. This is used for pain relief. Then there is ear acupuncture, also called ear stapling or auriculotherapy. This ear stapling procedure is relatively new and is usually used to assist with weight loss. But when lasers or sounds waves are added to ear acupuncture it can also be used to treat a variety of additions including drugs and alcohol. As well, the ear does have many acupuncture points and so in general is much used in acupuncture therapy.

Moxibustion is a type of acupuncture therapy that uses heat. This is usually used as part of regular acupuncture treatments especially for lung conditions like bronchitis or asthma. The heat also works well for certain types of arthritis.

Cupping is another method of using the acupuncture points. Suction is applied to the point and this causes more blood to settle at the point. It is believed that this helps to stimulate the spot and so improve the blood flow. It is also used to remove the access fluid from lungs that are congested. The method of cupping can also be used for sprains, soft tissue injuries or backaches when the pain is in the lower back.

The final method that can accompany acupuncture treatments is called acupressure. It is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Instead of using needles, pressure is put on the acupuncture points by using either fingers, steel balls, or something that can roll on the points.

Some people put reflexology in here as it is a method of putting pressure on certain points of the foot to help improve illness a person may be suffering from. It is also called zone therapy.

The basic and most well known method of acupuncture is the inserting of needles under the skin to heal or to relieve pain. But there is more to this basic method as well. What is done with the needles makes a big difference. The methods used involve thrusting, twirling, rotation, scarping, and trembling. Both scarping and trembling being methods of using vibrations to intensify the treatments. The method used to treat the individual patient depends completely on the reason they have gone to see the acupuncturist, the symptoms they are suffering from, the length of time the problem has been untreated or unsuccessfully treated and how the individual themselves respond to their treatments.

Other types of acupuncture include electro-acupuncture which is a method by which a mild current, so small it is measured in microamperes, pass through the needles. This is used for pain relief. Then there is ear acupuncture, also called ear stapling or auriculotherapy. This ear stapling procedure is relatively new and is usually used to assist with weight loss. But when lasers or sounds waves are added to ear acupuncture it can also be used to treat a variety of additions including drugs and alcohol. As well, the ear does have many acupuncture points and so in general is much used in acupuncture therapy.

Moxibustion is a type of acupuncture therapy that uses heat. This is usually used as part of regular acupuncture treatments especially for lung conditions like bronchitis or asthma. The heat also works well for certain types of arthritis. Cupping is another method of using the acupuncture points. Suction is applied to the point and this causes more blood to settle at the point. It is believed that this helps to stimulate the spot and so improve the blood flow. It is also used to remove the access fluid from lungs that are congested. The method of cupping can also be used for sprains, soft tissue injuries or backaches when the pain is in the lower back.

The final method that can accompany acupuncture treatments is called acupressure. It is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. Instead of using needles pressure is put on the acupuncture points by using either fingers, steel balls, or something that can roll on the points. Some people put reflexology in here as it is a method of putting pressure on certain points of the foot to help improve illness a person may be suffering from. It is also called zone therapy.

It is believed, and agreed that acupuncture originates from ancient china; it is believed it then spread through the east before finally finding the western world via Europe, which wasn’t until recent years.

Because acupuncture has been used for thousands of years it has had a huge head start on a wide variety of different medicines and has evolved over the years to become the most refined, and used holistic treatment available today.

So what is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is the art of diverting the flow of what the Chinese call Qi, Qi is the body’s natural energy and can be found in every living being. The Qi is diverted to the area that is causing a problem; this is done because the Chinese of old believed that any condition in the human body was a deficit in Qi found in the area concerned.

How is acupuncture done?

Acupuncture is applied by inserting many tiny needles into the acupuncture points in the body. There is a belief that the needles only need to be put in the points near the affected area, but this is incorrect. The needles will be entered in points all over the body, no matter what part of the body is affected.

Contrary to belief the needles do not hurt when they are inserted into the skin, although care does need to be taken as they can damage organs and tissue under the skin if not inserted correctly, this is why it is important to see a real acupuncture therapist.

Medicinal qualities

Acupuncture has been proven to work on numerous medical conditions, while also proven to not work on other medical conditions. The conditions and symptoms acupuncture works best on are those affected by the chemicals released by the brain and central nervous system, like pain and anxiety. The reason acupuncture is great at combating issues such as these is because it helps release the chemicals found in the central nervous system called Serotonin and Endorphins. Serotonin and Endorphins control the mood of a person and also the pain receptors in the body, this means the more of these chemicals are released, the happier and less pain people will feel.

Whichever way you look at acupuncture it is a treatment steeped in glorious history, and also works extremely well in some cases. There are many people that swear by acupuncture, not only for its medicinal purposes, but also for its ability to reduce stress and make people feel better within them.