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Information
about Acupuncture and Acupuncturists
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Acupuncture and Acupuncturists Information
Acupuncture
is an ancient Chinese medical procedure involving insertion and
manipulation of needles at more than 1000 points in the human
body. Applied to relieve pain during surgery or in rheumatic conditions,
and to treat many other conditions- anxiety/depression, arthritis,
asthma, pain, eczema, sports injuries, allergies and hayfever,
migraine, menstrual disorders, gastrointestinal problems and pregnancy
management and delivery. What
to expect from an acupuncturist Next, the colour, shape and coating of the tongue, face and skin are checked for signs indicating those internal organs that have problems. The sound of your voice, your breath and any body odours will be noted and questions asked to confirm the diagnosis. Acupuncture points will then be selected for treatment and needles inserted, either by hand or through a guide tube. This should be quick and painless. Some people feel a mild sensation as the needles are inserted, but this usually passes quickly. Most modern acupuncturists use disposable stainless steel needles of fine diameter (0.007" to 0.020", 0.18mm to 0.51 mm), sterilized with ethylene oxide or by autoclave. The upper third of these needles is wound with a thicker wire (typically bronze), or covered in plastic, to stiffen the needle and provide a handle for the acupuncturist to grasp while inserting. The size and type of needle used, and the depth of insertion, depend on the acupuncture style being practiced As few as one or two or more than 20 needles may be used in treatment and they are usually left in for 15 to 30 minutes. A course of ten treatments at weekly intervals is common. Acupuncture is becoming accepted by the general public and by doctors. Over fifteen million Americans in 1994 tried acupuncture. A poll of American doctors in 2005 showed that 60% believe acupuncture was at least somewhat effective, with the percentage increasing to 75% if acupuncture is considered as a complement to conventional treatment In the United Kingdom, British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) members observe the Code of Safe Practice with standards of hygiene and sterilisation of equipment. Members use single-use pre-sterilised disposable needles. Similar standards apply in most jurisdictions in the United States and Australia. |
History
of Acupuncture
For a very long time, it has been thought that Acupuncture had originated
in China then spread into Asia,[citation needed] spawning a variety
of techniques, treatment styles, and theoretical frameworks. This is
until in 1991 when a 5,000-year-old mummified man was found in the Otz
valley along the mountainous border between Austria and Italy. The mummy's
body is remarkably well preserved and displays a complicated system
of bluish-black tattoos running along its back, right knee and left
ankle. A group of scientists from the University of Graz in Austria
have theorized a possible relationship between the tattoos and traditional
acupuncture points. Their findings, first published in The Lancet in
1999 and updated in Discover magazine in 2000, purport to show that
a system of healing quite similar to traditional acupuncture may have
been in use in central Europe more than 2,000 years earlier than previously
believed.
In China, the practice of acupuncture can perhaps be traced as far back as the 1st millennium BC,[citation needed] and archeological evidence has been identified with the period of the Han dynasty (from 202 BC to 220 AD)[citation needed]. Forms of it are also described in the literature of traditional Korean medicine where it is called chimsul. It is also important in Kampo, the traditional medicine system of Japan.
Recent examinations of Ötzi, a 5000-year-old mummy found in the Alps, have identified over fifty tattoos on his body, some of which are located on acupuncture points that would today be used to treat ailments Ötzi suffered from. Some scientists believe that this is evidence that practices similar to acupuncture were practiced elsewhere in Eurasia during the early bronze age[1], [2].
Acupuncture's origins in China are uncertain. The earliest Chinese medical texts (Ma-wang-tui graves 68 BC) do not mention acupuncture. The Chinese medical text that first describes acupuncture is The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine (History of Acupuncture), which was compiled around 305–204 B.C. Some hieroglyphics have been found dating back to 1000 B.C. that may indicate an early use of acupuncture.[citation needed] Bian stones, sharp pointed stones used to treat diseases in ancient times, have also been discovered in ruins (History of Acupuncture in China); some scholars believe that the bloodletting for which these stones were likely used presages certain acupuncture techniques [3].
RC Crozier in the book Traditional medicine in modern China (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1968) says the early Chinese Communist Party expressed considerable antipathy towards classical forms of Chinese medicine, ridiculing it as superstitious, irrational and backward, and claiming that it conflicted with the Party’s dedication to science as the way of progress. Acupuncture was included in this criticism. Reversing this position, Communist Party Chairman Mao later said that "Chinese medicine and pharmacology are a great treasure house and efforts should be made to explore them and raise them to a higher level"[4]. Representatives were sent out across China to collect information about the theories and practices of Chinese medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM is the formalized system of Chinese medicine that was created out of this effort. TCM combines the use of Acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, tui na and other modalities. After the Cultural Revolution, TCM instruction was incorporated into university medical curricula under the "Three Roads" policy, wherein TCM, biomedicine and a synthesis of the two would all be encouraged and permitted to develop. After this time, forms of classical Chinese medicine other than TCM were outlawed, and some practitioners left China. The first forms of acupuncture to reach the United States were brought by non-TCM practitioners, many employing styles that had been handed down in family lineages, or from master to apprentice (collectively known as "Classical Chinese Acupuncture"). (with thanks to Wikipedia)
Acupuncture
is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) known to have been
used in China for over 2000 years. It is thought by many to have its
origins more than 5000 years ago, and it is based on the theories and
teaching of early Chinese medical philosophers.
The word acupuncture is derived from the Latin -- acus (needle) and
punctura (to puncture) as this suggests, the procedure of Acupuncture
involves the Acupuncturist penetrating the skin with very thin (",
0.18mm to 0.51 mm dia.) solid, metallic needles.
These sterilised and disposable needles are inserted into acupuncture
points (acupoints) throughout the body, producing no more than a tingling
feeling. These acupoints relate to specific organs of the patients body.
Traditional Chinese Medicine traditionally estimates that there are
more than 2,000 acupuncture points that can be used.
Most treatments involve only one or two needles but occasionally 20 needles may be used depending on the patient and type of treatment that is required.
The needles are usually left in for 10 to 20 minutes and courses of ten treatments usually at weekly intervals are often required.
Acupuncture
has seen a rapid growth in Western countries and is now generally accepted
by the general public and by many doctors, with an estimated one in
three GP surgeries making Acupuncture available to patients.
Acupuncture is used for a wide range of physical ailments which include
arthritis, asthma, neuralgia, high blood pressure, skin conditions,
bronchitis, insomnia, and pain of many kinds. It is also thought to
be helpful for emotional problems, including anxiety and depression,
and is often used to treat alcohol and drug addiction.
Other conditions where acupuncture has been found to be successful is
headache, and has proven to be beneficial for many patients with chronic
headache, particularly migraine.
The
World Health Organisation has a long list of conditions it feels acupuncture
can treat: (whether many acupuncturists would make the same claims is
debatable)
Acupuncture – The Five Element Theory
The
Five Element Theory is a theory developed by Ancient Chinese philosophers
that is still widely used today in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It
was through observation of nature that they came to believe it was possible
to predict how natural changes, within our bodies, and outside environment
can affect our health. Practitioners used the relationship of five elements
and the meridians (channels) of energy within the human body to bring
conflicting body forces back into balance.
The
five elements were described as:-
• Wood
• Fire
• Earth
• Metal
• Water
These were identified as the five elemental forces embodied in the natural world. Each of these elemental forces is also associated with major organs of the body. By use of the properties these elements possess, coupled with how the Yin/Yang balance of the body is structured, it is possible to correct any imbalance of the body, and hence, potential illness can be averted or arrested.
The Yin and Yang concept is a basic principle of Traditional Chinese Medicine, they are terms used to describe the balance of any item in nature. These two forces are said to be in confliction and must always be in balance for the item to be in its natural state. So if the Yang is described as "hot", the Yin will be described as "cold, any imbalance of these forces will be seen as a major contributor to ill health.
A
simple example that illustrates how both these concepts are used could
be :-
If the diagnosis of a patient shows an excessive Yang condition in an
energy related to a "fire" element, it can be assumed that
this is being caused by the opposing Yin condition being in the "water"
element (i.e. there is not enough water to control the fire), or they
may find a Yang condition in the in the "wood" element (i.e.
too much wood is feeding the fire). If you now consider the "fire"
as the heart, the "water" as the kidneys, and the "wood"
as the liver, you can begin to see the concept of interaction/balance
and how a typical treatment may be constructed.
(for a more in depth explanation visit the website Acupuncture Guide)
Traditional Chinese Medicine still uses this ancient, diagnostic method to analyse how the various parts of a person's body and mind can interact to affect their health and wellbeing. Modern acupuncturists also use the five element theory but in varying degrees depending on the individual practitioner and what style of acupuncture they practice.
Acupuncture
and Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a type of traditional Chinese treatment used in conjunction
with acupuncture and acupressure. It is a process where moxa (a dried
herb - mugwort) is burned directly on the skin or indirectly above it.
The purpose of moxibustion, as with most forms of Traditional Chinese
Medicine, is to stimulate and strengthen the flow of blood and Qi (vital
energy), in order to maintain and improve general health.
There
are two main moxibustion techniques.
• Direct moxibustion: A small, cone-shaped amount of moxa is placed
on top of an acupuncture point and burned on the skin. If the moxa is
allowed to burn right down to the skin some scarring may occur. Direct
moxibustion is a traditional technique considered to be very therapeutic,
and nowadays it is very infrequent that the moxa will actually be allowed
to burn down to the skin.
• Indirect moxibustion: This is now accepted as the most popular form of moxibustion in many countries including China. Generally the treatment will involve the practitioner lighting one end of a moxa stick ( dried moxa herbs rolled into a stick shape which is roughly the size of a small cigar) which he/she holds an inch or two away from the skin, near the appropriate acupressure/acupuncture points. Alternatively the moxa sticks can be cut into small lengths of approximately 1 – 3 cms., these are attached to specially designed acupuncture needles and lit before being inserted into the acupuncture points. The heat produced by the burning moxa not only warms the skin but it is drawn through the needle into the channel associated with the acupuncture point.
Moxibustion
therapy is generally used in conjunction with acupressure and acupuncture.
It has been clinically effective for the treatment of more common conditions
such as acute and chronic pain (frozen shoulder, back pain, muscle stiffness,
tendonitis, arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome). Moxibustion has also
been used to treat menstrual discomfort and pain, and turn breech babies.
David
Bates
www.therapiesguide.co.uk
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What is Complementary Therapy
Complementary
Therapy (Alternative Therapy)
Is as the name suggests a form of therapy or medicine that "complements"
conventional treatments, it is variously known as Complementary Therapy,
Alternative Therapy, or Holistic Therapy. (Examples of further terminology
are described below)
Practitioners are consequently referred to as complementary therapists,
alternative therapists, healers, complementary medicine providers, holistic
therapists etc.
There
is evidence that many of these alternative therapies have been in use
for centuries, recent years have seen (particularly in the Western World)
a rise in the popularity of these Complementary Therapies. Millions
of people now subscribe to Complementary Health and use complementary
therapies worldwide, and demand for these therapies is still growing.
About half of GPs, in the UK, now provide some kind of access to this
form of therapy. Although Britain came late to complementary therapies.
It is estimated by practitioners that demand for these therapies has
increased by up to 30% in the last ten years.
It is currently estimated that 3 in 10 local health authorities in Britain
now offer some form of alternative therapy to patients and that as many
as one third of people in the United Kingdom have tried at least one
form of alternative therapy, usually for the treatment of various problems
such as backache, arthritis, or headaches migraine.
Much has been written on the subject of Complementary Therapies and Health (we have a wide range of articles elsewhere on our website) and a great deal of information and opinion is available on the internet.
Complementary Therapy is also referred to as Alternative Therapy, Holistic medicine is a narrower term. We have included a few definitions of Complementary Therapy showing how this "non conventional" form of healing is variuosly referred to.
Complementary
Therapy
Complementary therapies offer a variety of "complementary"
treatments, outside the scope of conventional medical practice, and
are often used alongside standard treatments -- e.g. nutritional supplements,
herbal remedies, massage, acupuncture, energy work, etc.
Complementary
Medicine
The term complementary medicine is used by conventional medical practitioners
to refer to non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical techniques which are used
in conjunction with medical treatments such as drugs and surgery. The
term implies that conventional medicine is used as a primary tool and
the non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical techniques are used as a supplement
when needed.
Alternative
Therapy
A variety of treatments, outside the scope of conventional medical practice,
and used instead of standard treatments -- e.g. nutritional supplements,
herbal remedies, massage, acupuncture, energy work, etc.
Alternative
Medicine
A broad category of alternative treatment systems (e.g. chiropractic,
herbal medicine, acupuncture, homeopathy, naturopathy, and spiritual
devotions) or culturally based healing
Integrative
medicine
Is defined for USA usage by the National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Therapies, combines conventional medical treatments and
alternative and complementary treatments for which there is some high-quality
scientific evidence of their safety and effectiveness
An increasing desire for wellness, in response to today’s stressful
lifestyle, has led to the rising demand for Complementary Therapy and
Alternative therapies. It is true that many people are becoming disenchanted
with conventional medicine's drugs and the approach to healing. On the
other hand, Complementary therapies tend to be "holistic",
where an individual's health is considered as a whole and treatment
not just focused on the symptoms. Complementary therapy employs "natural"
methods to aid the healing powers of the body to return to a state of
health. Treatment is holistic; that is it takes into account every aspect
of a patient and not just on the health symptoms that he or she is experiencing.
It is highly recommended that you use a qualified practitioner who is a member of a regulatory body. By law, chiropractic and osteopathy practitioners must be registered with the appropriate professional bodies
In the United Kingdom, there is an organisation that monitors CAM therapists known as British Register of Complementary Practitioners. On their site, they say "The British Register of Complementary Practitioners (BRCP) is a professional register of practitioners who have proved their competence to practice by either completing an approved course or through an assessment made by the Registration Panel. They also agree to observe a Code of Ethics and Practice and have full practitioner insurance." This helps monitor the quality of CAM in the UK and reduces the risk of quackery.
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