ACUPUNCTURE
Acupuncture is a complete medical system that is used to diagnose
and treat illness, manage chronic disorders, alleviate pain,
and promote health through prevention and maintenance. It
can be used for physical, emotional and psychological problems.
Acupuncture
is part of Traditional Oriental Medicine, the most widely
used healing system in the world. Traditional Oriental Medicine
is a complete medical system that combines herbs, moxabustion
(a form of heating), cupping, gua sha (scraping skin to increase
circulation), massage, diet, and gentle exercise along with
acupuncture to correct energy imbalances in the body.
The practice
of acupuncture is rooted in ancient China. It is mentioned
in the Huang-ti Nei-Ching (The Yellow Emperor's Classic
of Internal Medicine), a comprehensive documentation of
Traditional Chinese Medicine during the time of the Yellow
Emperor, Huang-ti, who is said to have ruled from 2697 to
2595 B.C.
The Huang-ti
Nei-Ching, one of the oldest Chinese medical books still
in existence, is used today as one of the main reference books
on acupuncture theory. Since the time of the Yellow Emperor,
the practice of acupuncture has remained virtually unchanged.
Acupuncture
needles dating from four thousand years ago have been found
by archeologists in China. The first needles were made from
stone; later, gold, silver, or bronze was used.
From the third century B.C. to the seventh century A.D., Chinese
medicine was highly influenced by philosophy and example of
Taoist sages, who believed in preventing disease through moderation.
Acupuncture
spread into other Asian countries in about A.D. 1000 and was
introduced into Europe about A.D. 1700.
At the
turn of the century, Sir William Osler (1849-1919), a Canadian
physician was using Acupuncture to treat low back pain. Dr.
Osler felt that this was the best treatment available to deal
with his condition.
More recently,
acupuncture was introduced into the United States as a direct
result of President Nixon's trip to China in 1970. During
the trip, a member of the mission became ill and required
an appendectomy. What made his surgery unique was the fact
that it was performed while the patient was anesthetized with
acupuncture as the only form of anesthesia. Impressed
with what he learned of acupuncture, President Nixon helped
to organize a cultural exchange of medical practitioners between
the United States and China.
Later
that same year, thirty acupuncturists from China were invited
to participate in a program at the University of California,
Los Angeles Medical School -- thus acupuncture was introduced
to conventional medicine in the United States.
Today,
after more than twenty years of clinical usage, the UCLA Pain
Center continues to use acupuncture as one of its main modalities
for the relief of pain.
Basic
acupuncture theory lies within the ancient philosophy of Taoism.
The Taoists believed that the Universe can be described by
the dualistic concept of yin and yang. All matter
is made of yin and yang, including every part of the human
body. The concept of yin is described as that which is dark,
cold, moist, yielding, negative in polarity, and feminine.
The concept of yang is described as that which is warm, dry,
dominant, positive in polarity, and masculine.
Although
yin and yang are opposites in nature, it is their ability
to interact and balance each other that creates a dynamic
interplay that we call health. All diseases or conditions
can be classified as either yin or yang in nature due to an
imbalance of one or the other. An example of a yin disease
would be a chronic, long-standing degenerative condition such
as cancer. An example of a yang disease would be an acute
condition of short duration such as flu or sore throat.
An equally
important concept in Traditional Oriental Medicine is that
of chi (pronounced "chee"). The Chinese have more than
a thousand different representations (concepts) of what chi
is, which makes defining it extremely difficult. For simplicity's
sake, we can think of chi as the energetic force behind
all life. It is this concept of chi or vital energy
that many of the alternative therapies have borrowed, and
it is a mainstay of Alternative Medicine.
Related
to the practice of acupuncture, chi can be described
more specifically as the vital energy that circulates through
acupuncture meridians.
Chinese
acupuncture theory maintains that there are twelve main meridians
or energy channels that relate to the internal organs:lungs,
large intestine, stomach, spleen, heart, the pericardium (the
sac around the heart), known as the gate of life, small intestine,
bladder, kidney, gall bladder, liver, and what is called the
triple warmer, whose function is the assimilation and transportation
of energy and the maintenance of body temperature.
Located
along these twelve meridians, which literally run all over
the body from head to toe, there are more than 461 specific
acupuncture points. Acupuncturists believe that either an
excess or a deficiency of chi can result in the manifestation
of a particular type of illness.
Thus,
when an acupuncture point is needled (a needle inserted into
the point), the acupuncturist can manipulate the needle to
either build chi if there is a deficiency of energy
or drain chi if there is an excess of energy. It is
through this balancing of energy that the patient's health
is restored.
In addition
to manual needle manipulation, the point can either be stimulated
by either heat, cold, pressure, or electrical current. The
Chinese are currently experimenting with laser light as a
means of stimulating points. Heating, which is called moxabustion,
is the most popular method of stimulating a point. Moxabustion
can be used in conjunction with acupuncture treatments or
as a stand-alone treatment. The traditional moxabustion technique
involves a practitioner placing a small pile or ball of moxa,
the leaf of the Chinese mugwort (wormwood) tree, on the end
of an inserted needle or on the skin and igniting it. When
ignited, the moxa smolders without producing a flame. Today,
the most commonly used form of moxa is a commercially prepared
stick that is easier to work with. The ignited moxa stick
is moved around the needle to produce gentle, even heating
which stimulates the point.
Electrical
stimulation of a point is accomplished by sending minute amounts
of pulsed current into the needle. The current pulses, which
can be adjusted for both frequency and intensity, are generated
by a small battery-powered device.
Although
some people in the United States have only recognized acupuncture
for its ability to control pain, the World Health Organization
accepts Acupuncture Therapy for over one hundred different
diseases. Additionally, the National Institute on Drug Abuse
and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
have initiated demonstration projects using acupuncture treatment
for crack cocaine detoxification and alcoholism.
Currently
in the United States, acupuncture is used to treat a wide
variety of physical problems including pain, gastrointestinal
problems, sinusitis, gynecological problems, stress management,
asthma, AIDS, urogenital problems, impotence, infertility,
arthritis and joint problems among many others.
Although
the exact mechanism that would explain how acupuncture works
is still unknown, recent studies into the physiological reactions
of the body to acupuncture by Dr. Bruce Pomeranz at the University
of Toronto has provided some scientific insight into how acupuncture
affects pain.
Dr. Pomeranz's
findings focused on the ability of acupuncture to stimulate
the production of endorphins, opiate-like substances produced
in the brain whose function is to control pain in the body.
Endorphins have been found to be nearly one thousand times
stronger than morphine. Thus, there is now scientific validation
as to how acupuncture controls pain.
Along
with the release of endorphins, another substance called cortisol
is simultaneously released. Cortisol is the body's own natural
anti-inflammatory drug. Controlling pain and reducing inflammation
helps to promote healing; this seems to explain why acupuncture
works so well for joint and structural disorders.
An acupuncture
needle is very fine, about the diameter of a thick hair, and
made from stainless steel. Unlike a hypodermic needle, it
is not hollow and nothing is injected into the body. Reusable
acupuncture needles are sterilized using procedures regulated
by state and federal agencies. For
greater comfort, needle insertion techniques have been refined
over the centuries enabling a skilled practitioner to place
the needle with little or no sensation.
In the
United States there are currently more than thirty Schools
of Acupuncture in existence. There are approximately 5,000
practitioners in the Unites States. In many states, acupuncturists
are licensed while in other states only licensed medical doctors
have the ability to practice acupuncture.
On a personal note, I have used acupuncture for pain management,
fatigue and to help manage my autoimmune disease. It is always
a wonderful, soothing experience. (From Amy)
For additional
information contact: The
American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine,
The
American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, The
California Acupuncture Association, The American Foundation
of Traditional Chinese Medicine, The
National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists.
Kastner,
Mark, L.A.c., Dipl.Ac., and Burroughs, Hugh Alternative
Healing - The Complete A to Z Guide to More Than 150 Alternative
Therapies Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1996, P.3-8.
Acupuncture Info Online
Interactive
Acupuncture Chart
History
of Acupuncture in China
Acupuncture.com
Thank
You Sally for letting us borrow this article, for more on
alternative healing or on nursing visit her wonderful site
at: Nursing
Power.net
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