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Acupuncture
Acupuncture originated in China more than
2,000 years ago. Today, acupuncture is one of the most commonly used medical procedures in
the world. In very general terms, acupuncture
 refers to a family of
procedures involving stimulation of anatomical points on the body by a
variety of techniques. American practices of acupuncture incorporate
medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries. The
acupuncture technique that has been most studied scientifically involves
penetrating the skin with hair thin, solid, metallic needles that are
manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation.
In the past two decades, acupuncture has
grown in popularity in the United States. It is now widely practiced by
thousands of physicians, dentists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners
for relief or prevention of pain and for various other health conditions.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine (NCCAM), acupuncture has shown promising results as a treatment
for adult postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting and in
postoperative dental pain. According to NCCAM, there are other
situations--such as addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual
cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis,
low-back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma--in which acupuncture
may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative or be
included in a comprehensive management program. A NCCAM-funded study
recently showed that acupuncture provides pain relief, improves function
for people with osteoarthritis of the knee, and serves as an effective
complement to standard care.
Theory and Practice of Acupuncture
Acupuncture today varies very little from that practiced thousands of years ago. The patient lies on a flat, comfortable surface. The acupuncturist then inserts thin metallic needles into the skin at various points on the body. These needles are usually manipulated by hand, but sometimes electrical stimulation or heat is used. Up to a dozen needles may be used in various spots in the course of one treatment. The needles remain in place for five to twenty minutes.
According to
Traditional Chinese
Medicine, the underlying principle of acupuncture is the maintenance of the balance between the yin and yang - two opposing forces in the body. When disease is present, the yin and yang are imbalanced. This causes a blockage in the flow of vital energy, or qi, which flows through meridians in the body. Acupuncture is used at specific points on these meridians to unblock the qi.
Western practitioners tend to explain acupuncture a bit differently. They say that acupuncture points work by stimulating the nerves, muscles and connective tissue. This results in a release of the body's natural painkillers and an increase in blood flow.
Unlike many forms of
alternative medicine, acupuncture has been the subject of a number of scientific studies.
As noted above, these studies have shown promise in the use of acupuncture
for such things as back pain, migraines, fibromyalgia, arthritis and many
other conditions that cause pain. It seems to be effective against
chemotherapy-induced nausea as well. Acupuncture has also been used to
treat such diverse ailments as allergies, irritable bowel syndrome, drug
addiction, incontinence and obesity. Its effectiveness against such
problems, however, has not been confirmed.
Acupuncture Safety
Acupuncture carries few risks. Among these are the chance of excessive
bleeding in those who are taking blood thinners or have bleeding
disorders, injury of internal organs, and needles breaking off in the
skin. If clean needles are not used, there is also a risk of disease
transmission between patients. However, a reputable acupuncturist will use
new needles each time, and he will know how to minimize other risks. In
most states, acupuncturists must either be licensed physicians or obtain
certification in acupuncture. Even if it is not required, a good
acupuncturist will be trained and certified. Acupuncture is one of the
most popular types of alternative medicine. It is accepted as a valid form
of treatment by many practitioners of conventional medicine, and studies
have indicated that it does help many ailments. If you have chronic pain,
acupuncture may be worth looking into.
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