Acupuncture

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Acupuncure is a very old healing system. The literal meaning of acupuncure is ‘needle piercing’, and the system involves inserting very fine needles into the skin of the patient. The piercing is minimal and is done on specific points on the body – these points are called acupoints or acupuncture points. The purpose of this piercing is to stimulate the points and affect the functioning of the body. While, the most often practiced method is to puncture the skin with fine needles, some practitioners also use other means of stimulating the acupuncture points; these include heat, electromagnetic impulses, pressure and suction.

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1 Origins
2 Perceived Benefits
3 How Acupuncture Works
4 What Can Acupuncture Treat?
5 The Method
6 References
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Origins

The origins of acupuncture are traced to China and most authoritative sources claim it to be at least 2,000 years old. Besides China, there are traditions of practice of acupuncture in Korea, Japan and some other countries. Acupuncture is considered to be a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Perceived Benefits

As a system of healing, proponents of acupuncture recommend it because of the following advantages:

It offers treatment without involving drugs.
It is preventive.
It attempts to treat the cause as well as symptoms.
It is a holistic approach to health as it links body, mind and emotions.

How Acupuncture Works

Like many other systems of healing, TCM is based on a theorisation which asserts that the body has an energy force running throughout it. This energy is variously called Qi or Chi (both pronounced chee). A person’s health is influenced by the flow of Qi in the body. Any blockage, imbalance or deficiency in the flow of Qi causes disease.

The energy flows up and down along pathways that are called meridians. There are 12 main meridians and 12 secondary meridians. Acupuncture points are located along these meridians; the acupuncture points are specific locations where the meridians come near the surface of the body and are accessible to needles. There are more than 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body. If these points on the various meridians are stimulated, the restrictions and imbalances in the flow of Qi can be rectified, and that is believed to lead to restoration of health in the body.

A further extension of the energy theory states that Qi is comprised of two components, the Yin and the Yang. Yin has attributes of being passive, dark and cold, while Yang has active, light and warm attributes. In fact, it is asserted that Qi and its two components are present throughout nature, and an imbalance between these two components causes disease. On the other hand, a restoration of balance between Yin and Yang leads to an improvement of health.

There have been some attempts to explain the working of acupuncture within the conceptual framework of the Western system of medicine. One hypothesis is that acupuncture functions by influencing the working of the nervous system, which in turn improves the activity of endorphins and the immune system. However, there are no satisfactory explanations about acupuncture in the Western system of medicine.

What Can Acupuncture Treat?

The World Health Organisation has listed a range of disorders that have successfully been treated with acupuncture:

Headaches, migraine
Trigeminal neuralgia
Insomnia
Some forms of paralysis
Dizziness
High/low blood pressure
Chest pain
Angina
Poor circulation
Muscle cramps
Toothaches
Asthma
Bronchitis/Sinusitis
Coughs
Ulcers
Pre-menstrual tension
Diarrhea/Constipation
Irregular periods
Infertility
Morning sickness
Osteo-arthritis
Sciatica
Shoulder and neck pain
Frozen shoulder
Tennis elbow
Lower back pain
Depression
Anxiety
Nervousness
Addictions such as smoking

The Method

Different types of needles can be used for acupuncture—these needles can vary in length and shape of the head, but all needles used are metallic and very thin. It is important to make sure that the needles are sterilised and disposed after use to decrease the chances of infections spreading through punctures. The disposal of needles should also conform to the regulations and guidelines for hazardous medical waste. Improper needle placement, movement of the patient, or a defect in the needle can cause soreness and pain during treatment. This is why it is important to seek treatment from a qualified acupuncture practitioner.

What's New on Acupuncture

Acupuncture Boosts Fertility by 65 Percent in Women

The use of acupuncture raises the odds of a successful in vitro fertilization by 65 percent, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Maryland Medical School and published in the British Medical Journal.

In vitro fertilization involves inserting a needle into a woman's ovaries to retrieve her eggs, fertilizing them in a laboratory and then reimplanting them into her uterus. It is an intensive and costly process that does not always result in successful pregnancy. Read more

References

What is Acupuncture?
An Introduction to Acupuncture
Acupuncture Infocenter in Holisticonline

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A teenager from Midlothian has cleaned up on the National Lottery after finally cleaning up his messy bedroom. Ryan Kitchin scooped more than 50,000 after finding a winning lottery ticket in the room that his mother had been asking him to clean for weeks.

[Teen Told to Clean His Room Finds Winning Lotto Ticket]