Archive for the ‘Acupuncture’ Category
A Quick-Start guide to Acupuncture
This interesting article addresses some of the key issues regarding Acupuncture. A careful reading of this material could make a big difference in how you think about Acupuncture.
Using needles to adjust bodily functions to optimum levels is the principle behind acupuncture. Both ancient Chinese and modern Western practitioners have used this technique to relieve many sufferers of chronic disease. Needling is a relatively safe, beneficial treatment strategy that can be used to reduce pain, improve healing, and increase general well-being. But exactly how is this procedure done and what sort of benefits can be obtained?
Procedure for Needle Puncture
There are two broad categories of acupuncture practice today, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and medical acupuncture. Both have their merits, so the choice is individual. The decision for most people hinges upon which philosophy appeals more to them and which technique holds the least apprehension.
In TCM, practitioners adhere to the concept of Qi, or energy flow, and the meridians in which they travel. They use longer needles and insert them deeper in order to reach the acupuncture points. Modern science has found little evidence to prove the existence of these energy channels, but this is the technique that has been used effectively for thousands of years.
In medical acupuncture, the practitioners are graduates of western medical schools. Their application of needles is not based on the traditional acupuncture points, but on anatomic data. These acupuncturists use shorter needles and the insertions are shallower. They also tend to use fewer needles and leave them inserted for shorter periods of time. Adherents to TCM feel this is a watered-down version of the real thing. Nevertheless, many patients have felt relief of symptoms through this method.
Conditions for Puncture Application
It’s really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of Acupuncture.
What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.
There is a broad and extensive list of ailments which can be treated with acupuncture. The conditions run the gamut from asthma to constipation, anxiety to weight loss. Most TCM practitioners believe that any health condition results from an imbalance in Qi flow, therefore amenable to needle therapy. Western acupuncturists tend to have a more limited list of indications, the most common of which is undoubtedly control of pain.
Control of pain is the most well researched of all of the indications for acupuncture. There is a definite beneficial effect for a majority of patients using this method. Migraines, premenstrual syndrome, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and neuralgias are but a few examples. The theory behind its effectiveness is also medically accepted and well researched, called the gate-control theory of pain. It states that the needles can stimulate nerves so that they block the impulses from pain triggers.
Expected Puncture Session Result
It is important to emphasize that acupuncture is used only on top of existing medical therapy. At no time should a patient discontinue medication or ignore medical instructions in favor of needle puncture. After undergoing a needle puncture regimen, the primary care physician can make an evaluation with regards to decreasing dependence on other therapies.
A course of acupuncture therapy will last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. This depends upon the complexity of the particular medical condition. Results also vary, so it is important to have a frank discussion with the acupuncturist regarding expected results and their time frame. In general, the patient will begin to feel beneficial effects after three or four session. Certain specific conditions will actually get a little worse before improving so keeping informed is key.
In modern medicine, the use of traditional techniques with proven results has become a widely accepted practice. Acupuncture has proven its worth time and again. Modern practice guidelines make it effective, reproducible, and safe. It is a gift of healing form ancient sages that has the potential to bring relief to millions of people.
Knowing enough about Acupuncture to make solid, informed choices cuts down on the fear factor. If you apply what you’ve just learned about Acupuncture, you should have nothing to worry about.
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By Anders Eriksson, who just launched this great product..
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Acupuncture Degrees
When you think about Acupuncture, what do you think of first? Which aspects of Acupuncture are important, which are essential, and which ones can you take or leave? You be the judge.
If you want to pursue a career in acupuncture, you need to obtain a degree and become a licensed professional.
This can easily be accomplished in three years of schooling from an accredited alternative medicine school which prepares students in the various acupuncture techniques to treat illnesses resulting from allergies, occupational stress, emphysema, gastrointestinal stress, arthritis, headaches, depression, and hypertension to name a few.
Students who enroll in such courses will be taught through demonstration, discussion and hands on application.
Part of the curriculum will also include basic courses in traditional medicine covering subjects such as anatomy, biosciences, medical terminology, herbal medicine, moxibustion, and acupressure. In some schools, they may require students to also learn about nutrition and various kinds of research.
Once they graduate, they may start in an entry level position earning $40,000 or more which will soon double or triple after years of experience and working themselves up the ladder.
If you want to look for a school that offers acupuncture degrees, it is best to go online and see which one has the best program that suits your requirements.
You won’t have a hard time looking for one as the number of institutions which teach students about acupuncture have gone up at a rapid rate since 1982 when the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) and the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM) were established.
To date there are about 50 colleges and a few also offer a master’s degree in Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture.
Hopefully the information presented so far has been applicable. You might also want to consider the following:
So what are you waiting for? If you think you have what it takes to be an acupuncturist, then go ahead and just do it.
It doesn’t matter if you are still in high school or if you are already working because a shift in your career could let you achieve your true calling.
The best way to start though is to talk with an acupuncturist about what it takes to become one so he or she will be able to give you an idea of what happens in the job.
If you haven’t picked a school, talk to students about the curriculum so you get your money’ s worth should you decide to attend this college.
A lot of people are unaware that acupuncture is not yet legal in every state. You can find work or start your own practice in California, New York, Texas, Hawaii and Oregon with 8 more states that are still pending legislation.
We mentioned that you have to study in a school certified by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCAOM). One more hurdle you have to face before getting your license is passing an exam given by them except in the state of California which has its own regulating body and board certification exam in order for you to practice your profession.
An acupuncturist degree is just the first step in becoming your own boss. To become a master, you have to learn everything there is to know as a student so those who entrust themselves to you in the future will not have any problems.
As more people are opening their minds to this practice, people should know that getting an acupuncture degree will not replace traditional medicine since there are limits to what it can do for the patient. It is merely a form of holistic healthcare that works hand in hand with science to help the person deal with an illness.
Now might be a good time to write down the m
ain points covered above. The act of putting it down on paper will help you remember what’s important about Acupuncture.
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By Anders Eriksson, who just launched this great product..
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Acupuncture and Autism
Studies have shown that there is an increase in the number of children that have been diagnosed with autism. Until now, doctors have not yet found a cure to this illness which is why some parents want to experiment with alternative forms of treatment and one example is acupuncture.
Acupuncture is a holistic approach in treating and preventing certain diseases. Its main tool are very thin needles that are inserted to targeted points in the body.
The body has about 400 of them linked through a system known as meridians or pathways. Once these are stimulated, these are supposed to create balance in the body.
Autism on the other hand is a brain disorder that is long term. This disease is characterized by deficits in language, social communication and cognition. Children who are diagnosed with this illness may also suffer from secondary problems such as aggression, irritability, stereotypes, hyperactivity, negativism, volatile emotions, temper tantrums, short attention span and obsessive-compulsive behavior.
Preliminary studies have shown that acupuncture may provide symptomatic relief to children suffering from autism. Although difficult at first, it is believed that it is rewarding in the long run. This is because while conventional therapy and treatment requires that the child stay still, acupuncture doesn’t. Some say it’s a quick prick at the vital points in the body.
A group of children in the US participated in a test to see how effective acupuncture is among children. There are 22 respondents and each of them was given the treatment once every other day for four months.
It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of Acupuncture is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about Acupuncture.
After the treatment 20 out of the 22 respondents showed remarkable improvement. In fact 2 of them has cerebral blood flow. The only thing that did not change prior to treatment and after was the blood flow between the left and right cerebrum as it showed no differences.
Aside from traditional acupuncture to help children with autism, a preliminary study in Hong Kong is trying to see if tongue acupuncture can produce better results.
Results have showed that of 30 respondents in the test, majority showed functional improvement of various degrees depending on the age and severity of their disabilities. Some improvement was noticeable within a few TAC sessions, especially for drooling, spasticity (scissoring or tiptoeing), ataxia, and poor balance in walking. Functional improvement was noted after one to two courses of TAC. Most children tolerated TAC well, with only occasional pain and minor bleeding in some patients.
The reason why tongue acupuncture is being experimented with is because there is a connection between the tongue and the heart through the meridians that spread to all the organs in the body. It is believed that the points on the tongue can influence the state of the other body organs thus giving relief to the one suffering from autism.
But many believe that acupuncture alone cannot help autism sufferers. It has to be combined with other things online like maintaining a certain diet to help improve one’s mood and communication schools. Although it is only short term, it is better than nothing until a cure is found.
When will the cure be found? Only time can tell as there are many other questions that have to be answered in order for doctors to further understand neurological disabilities. Doctors who are conducting research believe that an interdisciplinary approach is needed given that acupuncture has shown positive results in helping children with autism.
Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of Acupuncture. Share your new understanding about Acupuncture with others. They’ll thank you for it.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, who just launched this great product..
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Acupuncture Could Help You Finally Manage Your Stress Levels
in our lifestyles and environment. Stress is also affected by this imbalance. That is why when there is something wrong with your body, you’d typically have less of an ability to deal with stress.
You’d get more irritable and find it really to difficult to relax.
Think about what you’ve read so far. Does it reinforce what you already know about Acupuncture? Or was there something completely new? What about the remaining paragraphs?
By sticking these very thin needles past the surface of our skin, the acupuncturist stimulates nerves in our body. These nerves send signals to our brain and scientists believe that the brain then releases its natural painkillers into our system. This immediately causes a feeling of relaxation for many people.
The needles could also help your body by stimulating its circulation. With the circulation between the organs of the body improved, a lot of the body’s wastes could be cleansed properly. Your organs would also receive the full benefit of the oxygen from your lungs making its way into the cells of your body without any blockages. This makes your organs much healthier and leaves you feeling much better in the long term as well.
You can think of a session with the acupuncturist as very much like massage therapy. A good massage would help give you a very relaxing sleep that night and an acupuncturist could help you with your sleep as well. You might immediately start to feel drowsy as soon as the right nerves are stimulated by the acupuncturist’s needles.
You might be asking yourself how you’d be able to relax if you’re suffering from the pain of the needles attached to your body. What you might not realize is that because of the thinness of the needles, you would hardly feel anything. The most that many people claim they feel is a kind of tingling feeling where the needles are. And that is actually a sign that the process is working,
Acupuncture is a practice that helps you use your bodies’ own ability to manage stress properly. This leaves you healthier, and more importantly, prevents any of the serious diseases that could come from unbalanced, stressful lifestyles.
It might not be something to replace regular trips to the doctor but with its many possible benefits, acupuncture might be worth trying out very soon.
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Acupuncture for Effective Weight Loss
a number of acupuncture practitioners in existence nowadays, offering a host of services. If you are considering this form treatment for your weight management, make sure that you settle with no less than a trained and professional acupuncturist. A poorly trained acupuncturist may not be able to pinpoint the specific meridian points and worse, may cause unnecessary bodily pain and discomfort.
Moreover, your acupuncturist may require an herbal supplement for your treatment, to encourage a longer-term effect. Your sessions need not be maintained for an extensive period; however you may be required to visit your acupuncturist during the entire course of the sessions.
There are other means for losing weight successfully, and this does not include crash dieting and strenuous work outs. If carried out by trained professionals, acupuncture can be the answer for effective weight management. While it is far from being a cure-all, it may just be the right weight loss solution for you.
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Acupuncture is an Example of Holistic Healthcare
nearer to expert status when it comes to Acupuncture.
In some countries, acupuncture has even been used to replace chemical anesthesia prior to surgery as there are some patients who are not able to tolerate regular anesthesia.
Another field which acupuncture has proven to be effective is helping patients deal with their addictions such as alcohol, drugs and smoking. One study of smokers revealed that the average patient will cut down by half the number of cigarettes they consume after just one treatment. Just imagine the potential after a few more sessions!
This has resulted in the establishment of clinics nationwide that only use acupuncture as the means of rehabilitation.
Acupuncturists in the US charge from $75 to $150 per session. This usually gets lower in the succeeding treatments. The person will probably have to undergo 10 to 15 treatments 2 to 3 times a week but this really depends on the condition of the patient.
Before you go to one, you should check if this is covered by your insurance. If it isn’t, perhaps you should suggest that it should be included as it is much cheaper than having to undergo surgery.
Although there are risks if you decide to go undergo acupuncture, these can be avoided as long as the one doing it is a licensed professional who makes sure that the needles used are sterilized before they are inserted into the body.
These days, a lot of people in the medical field have accepted the fact that alternative medicine such as this can also help the patient which is why they may refer someone when it is needed.
So, if you are tired of experiencing the side effects of conventional medicine and want to try a holistic form of healthcare, why don’t you see what acupuncture can do for you? It is painless and cost effective. In fact, it is just one of many you can try to help treat a chronic condition.
Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of Acupuncture.
Share your new understanding about Acupuncture with others. They’ll thank you for it.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO to claim your $1 trial membership!
The Effectiveness Of Acupuncture
Do you ever feel like you know just enough about Acupuncture to be dangerous? Let’s see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Acupuncture experts.
Whenever you are feeling pain and discomfort, you’d usually reach for your painkillers for relief. While they do relieve the pain, they also bring along side effects that comes with taking foreign chemicals into your body. As much as modern medicine has developed drugs that can relieve pain right off the bat, do you really think that the quick fixes you’ve been taking are actually good for your body? Why not try something safer and more effective like acupuncture.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture has surged in popularity for the last few decades as brought on by the recent health trend. Mostly known as a traditonal Chinese medical technique, acupuncture is seen as a homeopathic method of treatment. While alternative medicine does raise a lot of eyebrows for the scientifically-inclined, it does merit attention before being dismissed as a quack cure.
Basic Procedure
Basically, needles are inserted into the skin, each corresponding to one of the numerous pressure points located throughout the body. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, by inserting a needle into the pressure point, an acupuncturist can manipulate the flow of chi or life force, thus relieving pain and gradually treating the patient. While most would say that the whole chi thing is a bunch of nonsense, science has suggested that with the needles inserted, the body’s natural painkillers called endorphins are released, thus helping with pain relief.
Instruments
Modern acupuncturists nowadays use disposable fine stainless steel needles that are 0.007 to 0.020 inches in diameter which are sterilized with either ethylene oxide or by autoclave. Since they are way finer than hypodermic syringe needles, being poked by these needles are relatively painless. The upper third of the needle is covered with either a thicker bronze wire or plastic to make the needle sturdier and easier to handle. The length of the needle and how far they are inserted is all up to the acupuncturist and his practised style of acupuncture.
Example Of Treatment
If a patient has a headache, he/she is diagnosed and is treated by stimulating the sensitive points located at the webs between the thumbs and palms. In acupuncture theory, these points are connected to the face and head and can be used for treatment of headaches and other ailments involved.
Needles are then carefully inserted into the skin until the patient feels a twinge, which is usually accompanied by a slight involuntary twitching of the area. During this treatment, a number of things may occur.
It’s really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the subject of Acupuncture. What you learn may give you the confidence you need to venture into new areas.
- Sensitivity to pain in where needles are inserted.
- A hint of nausea during treatment in case of bad headaches.
- Near-immediate headache relief.
Evolution
As an ancient method, acupuncture has crossed over into the modern age with implementations of technology and recent scientific findings. Electrical stimulation is now a common technique that is combined with acupuncture to produce more effective results. Also, acupuncturists combined this eastern technique with western methods to further enhance the treatment.
Practitioners have eventually realized that leaning towards one school of thought can’t propagate progress unless they are willing to move towards the future by looking towards other horizons as well.
Reactions And Research
Not everyone is impressed with acupuncture itself. Most western medical professionals have expressed either doubt or indifference to the oriental method while others have downright driven it down into the earth with criticisms and brutal skepticism. However, recent research shows the efficacy (or lack thereof) of acupuncture, and while more research has to be done, it has been proven to actually positively affect some, but not all, forms of ailments that it claims to cure.
So as the doors open to a new age of acupuncture, give it a try when you feel the need for pain relief and you will not be disappointed. As the Chinese have used it for many centuries, so should we.
Don’t limit yourself by refusing to learn the details about Acupuncture. The more you know, the easier it will be to focus on what’s important.
About the Author
By Anders Eriksson, feel free to visit my latest venture: GVO to claim your $1 trial membership!