During acupuncture, very fine needles are inserted into the skin at different parts of the body. The acupuncturist then twists the needles back and forth several times with his fingers or gives them electrical stimulation to act on the body’s different nerves and cure illnesses or reduce abnormalities. The acupuncture needles are usually left in place for 15-20 minutes and then removed.
Acupuncture improves blood circulation and energy flow in the body to balance bodily functions (yin and yang) and gradually eliminate aches and pains. Although the aches and pains are located at specific points in the body, this holistic approach to treatment does not concentrate on any one particular area of pain because it regards the different parts of the body as a whole. This makes the treatment effective on the entire system.
Acupuncture needles and their positioning must be suited to each patient’s physiology. It's also important that the needles be sterile and disposable to ensure the patient’s total safety.
Acupuncture has been proven effective in eliminating aches and pains caused by different illnesses without side effects. Acupressure and acupuncture healing power is also used to assist in childbirth and treat infertility, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer's disease, asthma, allergy, various orthopedic problems — and to stop smoking.
Traditional Acupuncture vs. Modern Acupuncture
Traditional acupuncture requires the acupuncturist have a good basic understanding of Chinese philosophy, particularly “tai chi”, “yin” and “yang”, “the 5 elements”, “pakua”, and blood circulation. He or she must also both possess and have a deep knowledge of “chi gong ”, the inner energy that can be transferred to patients for maximum effect.
The modern method of acupuncture uses low voltage electricity to stimulate treatment. It's a simple method of treatment an acupuncturist can perform after three months training but the results gained may not be the most effective.
Diseases and disorders specifically mentioned by The World Health Organization that can benefit from acupuncture therapy and acupuncture treatment by a specialist include:
- Paralysis;
- Prevention of cerebral arteriosis, cerebral hemorrhage causing paralysis or partial paralysis;
- Headaches, migraine, dizziness, blurred vision;
- Insomnia, stress, anxiety;
- Constipation;
- Diseases relating to the face, such as three-way pain on one side of the face, unclosed eyelids, drooping mouth, numbness of the face, one-sided facial palsy, twitching of the face muscles, mandible pain, locked jaw and inability to open the mouth;
- Illnesses relating to tendons, joints and bones and numbness of distal nerves, muscle atrophy, muscle weakness, rheumatoid arthritis, numbness of the extremities, cramp, back pain, radiating pain in the back and pain on the right flank, numbness of the toes, hip pain, degenerated hip joint, knee pain, swollen knee, degenerated knee joint swollen ankle, ankle pain, sprained ankle;
- Asthma;
- Chest pain;
- Pain from malignant cancer, tumor, and surgical procedure;
- Diarrhea and chronic enteritis;
- Morning sickness, vomiting, loss of appetite;
- Diabetes and complication conditions such as darkening of the foot’s end, numbness of extremities, and non-hereditary diabetes;
- High blood pressure, high cholesterol;
- Weight reduction;
- Weight increase, for underweight patients or those with chronic disease;
- Epilepsy;
- Edema;
- Geriatric diseases, short memory, loss of memory;
- Parkinson’s disease;
- Alzheimer's disease;
- Infertility;
- Sexual inadequacies;
- Allergy;
- Removal of crow’s feet, under the chin wrinkles, flesh on the underside of upper are, dark spots on the skin, freckles, acne, hair loss, varicose veins;
- Chronic tiredness and fatigue; and
- Gynecology and obstetrics diseases and disorders.
Chinese Herbal MedicineABC
The use of Chinese herbal medicine is often combined with acupuncture to assist the balance of body functions and improve blood circulation.
An acupuncture physician or acupuncture specialist will choose the most appropriate combination of acupuncture, acupressure, moxibustion, and ancient chinese herbal medicine based on each patient’s unique mental and physical conditions.
Tui Na Massage
Tui Na massage is another of the many natural, chemical-free treatment methods in Chinese Medicine. It has been practiced in China for thousands of years. It places emphasis on balancing the yin and yang, and also focuses on relieving pain caused by inflammation and tension.
Tui Na can play an important role in the treatment of muscular and tendon problems in that it focuses on effectively relieving pain caused by inflammation and tension among patients who have difficulty sleeping. Tui Na has been known to reduce stress levels in Parkinson’s disease patients, people who have insomnia, and is also used as a preventative treatment for cancer.
If you have any of the diseases, disorders or symptoms mentioned above or have questions about your health, we invite you to seek a reliable consultation from one of our competent friendly health care professionals.
