...Acupressure and Acupuncture as an alternative medical treatment. Alternative medical treatments and cures are increasingly becoming more popular. These treatments or cures are thought to be helpful in treating various medical conditions. They can be safe as long as the practitioner is properly trained and licensed. Before deciding to try acupressure or acupuncture, it is best to learn about these techniques ( Newell, 2015) and check the similarities and difference between the two. Acupressure differs from acupuncture in terms of specialised equipment used, the areas that are stimulated during the procedure, and the healing messages send throughout the human body. Acupressure is an old ancient healing art developed by Chinese people in...
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...By By Acupuncture Acupuncture Abstract What is Acupuncture? Acupuncture is a component of the health care system of China that can be traced back at least 2,500 years. The general theory of acupuncture is based on the premise that there are patterns of energy flow (Qi) through the body that are essential for health. Disruptions of this flow are believed to be responsible for disease. Acupuncture may, it has been theorized, correct imbalances of flow at identifiable points close to the skin. Acupuncturists believe that illness occurs when something blocks or unbalances your ‘Chi’ (energy). Acupuncture is a way to unblock or influence chi and help it flow back into balance. Acupuncture is a family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical locations on or in the skin by a variety of techniques. Acupuncture is done by putting very thin needles into your skin at certain points on your body. This is done to influence the energy flow. Sometimes heat, pressure, or mild electrical current is used along with needles. The most thoroughly studied mechanism of stimulation of Acupuncture points employs penetration of the skin by thin, solid, metallic needles, which are manipulated manually or by electrical stimulation. How does acupuncture work? Acupuncture improves the body’s functions and promotes the natural self-healing process by stimulating specific anatomic sites--commonly referred to as acupuncture points, or acupoints. The most common method used...
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...Acupuncture is used all over the world and is the oldest and most used method when it comes to healing the body. Acupuncture originated in China and has spread around the world over the decades. The practice of acupuncture is a form of medicine and a healer for the body. It is a process where small solid metallic needles are inserted into the body at what is called acupuncture points. Acupuncture points are points on the body that are used as targets of focus for acupuncture, acupressure and any other form of acupuncture. In the Chinese culture, there is believed to be several hundred acupuncture points located along what's called meridians. There are about 20 meridians in the human body. Meridians emit energy between the surface of the body and it's internal organs. Each acupuncture point has a different effect when the energy passes through it. The energy that is passed throughout the body during acupuncture is called Qi. Scientists believe that Qi helps to regulate balance in the body. Qi...
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...perspective. Yet, acupuncture is now a common form of treatment for many ailments and most towns in New Zealand have an acupuncture clinic (Dew, 2003). However, there have been several social, political, medical and regulatory processes and forces by which acupuncture has become this integrated into mainstream health services. This discussion will focus on four of these processes, which include providing evidence which is in accordance with biomedical constructions of evidence, use of needles as a boundary object, the rise of integrative medicine and subsidisation of the...
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...“Can acupuncture therapies make a valuable contribution to health in today’s society?” Introduction: Acupuncture is a natural practice that originated in China over 2000 years ago. It involves the insertion of fine needles into particular point, known as anatomical points , which alter the disease process and treat illnesses. For hundreds of years acupuncture has proven to be a successful form of treatment and has been formally recognised as a “mainstream medicine healing option” . Currently acupuncture is used as either a complimentary or alternative treatment, which it demonstrates a high success rate, however is it really necessary? With the introduction of new western medicines and the availability of new treatments, can acupuncture therapies...
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...benefit. As for acupuncture, there are actually a lot more well-designed studies done on this field when compared to Chinese herbs, mostly because Europe and the West have become very interested over the last couple decades and are funding better clinical trials. The evidence trail is building, which is great for everyone. So, what works, and what doesn’t? The New York Times has a very readable article (http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/studying-acupuncture-one-needle-prick-at-a-time/?hpw) which covers this issue. The gist of the article discusses the most recent, well-designed studies on back pains and other disorders; the studies usually show no difference between acupuncture and placebo (usually a “sham” needle that doesn’t penetrate the skin). In other words, the best studies lately are usually showing that most of the perceived effect from acupuncture is simply a placebo effect. These recent findings are by no means surprising, as most of the best studies have been reporting similar conclusions for many years. The best collection of acupuncture research is from the Cochrane Review Group, which performs the world’s most rigorous reviews of all treatments, including alternative medicines. They have an outstanding collection of the best literature on acupuncture (http://www.thecochranelibrary.com/details/collection/691705/Acupuncture-ancient-tradition-meets-modern-science.html) which details the best evidence regarding a number of acupuncture treatments. Unfortunately...
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...Proposal Paper: 2 Acupuncture Treatment and Needle Transmitted Infection 3 4 5 6 7 9 Acupuncture Treatment and Needle Transmitted Infection Problem Identification Acupuncture is a coherent and self-consistent body of knowledge based on a philosophy which differs radically from the conventional Western worldview. Rather than seeing disease as the result of a single causative agent, acupuncture medicine regards illness as a pattern of disharmony, a function of both internal and external phenomena adversely affecting the whole person (Prady et al, 2007). In other words, it describes the universe as a dynamic system, within which all phenomena are interrelated. It has been one of the most popular complementary and alternative therapies for the treatment of pain conditions in developed countries (Barns et al, 2004). The report from a Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture held at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1997 stated that acupuncture is being widely practiced by thousands of physicians, dentists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners for relief or prevention of pain and for various other health conditions. According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which included a comprehensive survey of NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine), an estimated 3.1 million U.S. adults and 250,000 children had used acupuncture for pain control...
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...Annotated Bibliography “Acupuncture.” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, 21 Feb. 2015. Web. 10 Mar. 2016. . The experts at Mayo Clinic give a basic description of acupuncture, explaining the theory behind it, the symptoms it treats, and the process of acupuncture. They define acupuncture as “the insertion of extremely thin needles through your skin at strategic points on your body” (“Acupuncture”). This process relieves pain; it stimulates the blood flow throughout the body and causes pain-reducing chemicals to be released. It can be used for symptoms such as headaches, lower back aches, menstrual symptoms, and side effects of chemotherapy. When acupuncture is performed, a sterile needle is inserted at specific spots of the body, depending on the...
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...substitute of conventional therapy for example a cancer patient foregoing therapy and opts for dietary changes. CAM is on the verge of increase with the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) reporting that up to 40% of adults 12% uses some form of CAM (Barnes, Bloom, Nahin, (US) & others, 2008). As opposed to traditional medical treatments that are comprehensively tested and vigilantly regulated professional bodies such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the majority CAM therapies have undergone exceptionally modest scientific study if any to assess their safety and effectiveness. One of the most common forms of CAM being used today is acupuncture. Despite the fact that it is still considered to be outside the realm of conventional medicine, through scientific study and clinical trials acupuncture is progressively establishing its role in comprehensive care. The other common form of CAM today is the use of medical marijuana. Being a controlled substance, the use of medical marijuana has sparks debates both among medical...
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...22 Ramamoorthy KG et al./Journal of Acupuncture and Herbs 1 (2015)22-31 Acupuncture for Prophylaxis of Intrathecal Morphine Induced Itch in Elective Caesarean Delivery: A Randomized Controlled Double Blind Study Karthik Ganesh Ramamoorthy FCARCSIa*, Mohammed Ibrahim MRCSb, Nasir Z. Ahmad FRCS, MMScc, Kevin Bailey FFARCSIb, Paul O’ Connor. FFARCSIb a. Department of Anaesthesia, Fortis Malar Hospital, Chennai, India b. Department of Anaesthesia, Letterkenny General Hospital, Letterkenny, Ireland c. Department of Surgery,Letterkenny General Hospital, Letterkenny, Ireland Received: August 3, 2015 Accepted: August 19, 2015 Abstract Objective: The objective of this prospective randomised double blinded placebo controlled trial was to assess the efficacy of acupuncture for prophylaxis of intrathecal morphine induced pruritis in patients undergoing Elective Caesarean delivery. Methods: After ethical approval and informed consent parturients scheduled for elective Caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia with intrathecal morphine, were randomised to receive acupuncture (Group 1) or sham acupuncture (Group 2). In Group 1 acupuncture was applied unilaterally at the Quchi acupoint for 30 minutes before initiation of spinal anaesthesia. In Group 2 sham acupuncture was applied at a non – acupoint 2 cm lateral to Quchi for 30 minute before initiation of spinal anaesthesia. The primary outcome was the incidence of pruritis and the secondary outcomes...
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...Effect of Acupuncture on In Vitro Fertilization Success Compared to In Vitro Fertilization Alone I am examining the effects of acupuncture on assisted reproductive therapy, namely in vitro fertilization (IVF). This topic is of interest to me because of personal curiosities due to having undergone assistive reproductive procedures. My eyes and ears are always open to the latest advancements and experiences of others within the realm of infertility treatments. I attended a conference last month in which the specialist recommended seeing an acupuncturist as an adjunct method for increasing fertility. This therapy would be a meeting of old world Eastern therapy and the new advancements of Western medicine. This idea has left me wondering if there is greater success when using acupuncture in conjunction with IVF compared to using IVF alone. Johnson, D. (2006). Acupuncture prior to an at embryo transfer in an assisted conception unit – a case series. Acupuncture in Medicine, 24(1), 23-28. This article gives data from a quantitative research study that compared IVF success rates with patients undergoing acupuncture therapy prior to and after embryo transfer with patients who participated in IVF only. The sample population for this case study involved 22 female patients voluntarily electing IVF treatment at an England hospital between 2002 and 2005, with average age of 36.2 years. All patients were self-referred for acupuncture by seeing pamphlets placed in...
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...turned 65 and has tried everything within the orthodox health system to try and ease the condition but unfortunately nothing has been successful in helping her and is still suffering from persistent pain. Prescribed medication has been tried to see if that would help Eileen’s condition but she claims to experience awful side effects and would rather not take any medication, because of the side effects Eileen has been experiencing they have started to make Eileen feel overly stressed for no real reason, due to this Eileen has been considering a couple of different complementary therapies which have been recommended by some close friends and family. The two therapies that Eileen has been researching and considering are acupuncture and osteopathy. * Acupuncture is said to help relieve pain by either diverting or changing the painful sensations that are sent to the brain to then alert you to the pain within the body. (Arthritis Research UK) * Osteopathy is also said to help relieve pain that individuals experience for a number of different reasons, this is done by improving mobility and reducing inflammation by using gentle, manual osteopathic techniques. (Hoddesdon osteopathic & sports injury clinic , 2016) Case study – Eileen is a 68 year old pensioner who suffers with arthritis, her arthritis has been getting worse since she turned 65 and has tried everything within the orthodox health system to try and ease the condition but unfortunately nothing has been successful...
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...All of which need no or light touch. This second group also uses Energy to heal, but this needs some touching or body manipulation. There are eight systems covered: 1. Acupressure 2. Aromatherapy 3. Crystal Therapy 4. Magnet Therapy 5. Music Therapy 6. Self massage 7. Sujok 8. Taichi and qigong There is a separate book for each. This one is about Sujok Therapy. I have tested all the links mentioned. As on May 2010, all links are secure, correct and working. You should look for more as you surf. You may find many that will suit to your needs. This is just a first step. Please feel free to share this with anyone you like. 2 of 23. Sujok Therapy Introduction Sujok is a drug free system using and manipulating energy points like acupuncture and acupressure. But here the organs and systems of the body are represented totally in the hands and feet only. It is similar to Reflexology in concept. It is developed by Prof. Park Jae Woo, a Korean Scientist, about 35 Years ago. "Sujok" is a combination of two words. In Korean 'Su' means hands and 'Jok' means feet. Thus, SuJok actually means treating hands and feet. Sujok Therapy incorporates the best of traditional oriental medicine practices and terminology. It recognizes energy systems of meridians, and chakras and has similar as well as different...
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...Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Today’s Nursing Practice Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Today’s Nursing Practice Complementary and Alternative Medicine is becoming more and more prevalent in the healthcare world as an acceptable treatment modality. Due to increase in patient demand for these treatments, it is important for the nurses to be able to implement various CAM into their nursing practice to provide holistic care for their patients. It is also important for nurses to be knowledgeable about the various forms of therapy and its benefits. CAM is meeting the needs of many consumers due to various reasons. The increase in healthcare cost has encouraged many consumers to research alternative methods to help cope with various medical conditions as opposed to turning to the pharmacological methods that were typically accepted years ago. Consumers also have more access to new trials and studies in regards to CAM because of increased access to the internet and media. Because of this, patients are more involved in their own healthcare and treatment decisions than in the previous years. According to the National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 1 in 4 adults from various backgrounds are currently using CAM therapies. (“The use of, 2011) Some of the most common medical reasons patients decide to try CAM therapies are problems with anxiety and depression, reoccurring nausea and pain related to cancer, and symptom management related to...
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...The classic Chinese book on medicinal herbs was written during the Ming Dynasty (1152-1578) by Li Shi-Zhen. It listed nearly 2,000 herbs and extracts. By 1990, the latest edition of The Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China listed more than 500 single herbs or extracts and nearly 300 complex formulations The Early Rise The development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) follows the course of Chinese civilization. Acupuncture, acupressure and moxibustion all date to the Stone Age. In the late 1920s, the Peking Man, an extinct cave man who lived 300,000 to 500,000 years ago, was excavated in Zhou Kou Dien, just north of Beijing. Polished flint-stones, bone needles and bamboo shafts, which are believed to be acupuncture and acupressure tools, were unearthed at the site. Herbal medicine can be traced to a man named Shen Nung, or the "Divine Husbandman," circa 3494 B.C. He is one of three legendary ancestors of the Chinese people. The other two are Fu Xi, who started animal husbandry, and Shui Ren, who discovered fire. Shen Nung experimented on himself, trying numerous herbs to study their healing effects. Legend has it that he died of herb intoxication. His most ancient portrait and records are now kept at Johns Hopkins University Hospital. The well-known Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine (Hung Di Nei Jing) is the work of the Warring States Period which occurred from 475 B.C. to 221 B.C. Bian Chueh, also known as Ching Yueh Ren, compiled...
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