Diabetes/Alternative Therapy Activity
1). Identification and description of the health promotion/alternative therapy activity; including any historical information
The alternative therapy activity for diabetes is the acupuncture therapy. Acupuncture is one of the ancient ways of treatment which is around 800 years old. In those years, the Chinese used sharp stones or bones as their surgical instruments. Acupuncture continued to develop since then and has now become one of the leading therapies in the world. The treatment of diabetes by acupuncture therapy is best known for reducing blood glucose levels mostly in the patients with type 2 which is non–insulin diabetes and the most common. The process has identified around 20 body points which are very effective in reducing the blood glucose levels. The main points of acupuncture therapy in the treatment of diabetes conditions are sanyinjiao, zusanli, quchii and the yishu. These points are chosen on the bases of the diabetes history, and the specific stage of the diabetes.
The acupuncture points and the treatment process are different from person to person. This diabetes therapy is treated using the combination of acupuncture and specific Chinese herbal medicines which have a hypoglycemic effect. One of the herbs called ginseng plays a major in lowering the blood glucose levels (Oleson, 2012). In a single session, acupuncture may involve the application of dozen points for the treatment. The course for the treatment of diabetes using acupuncture therapy is long term since acupuncture treats only the symptoms but does not cure. The course of treatment involves two sessions per week with most of the weeks been concentrated in improving the symptoms and declining the glucose levels.
Acupuncture therapy is most effective for the individuals who had diabetes for few years and do not have high disease manifestation. In young individuals, it’s also very effective. The other advantage of the acupuncture therapy is that the patients experience decline in the levels of cholesterol and the medical complications are reduced like heart diseases. The acupuncture treatment also helps the diabetic by reduction in excessive thirst, impulse to overeat, enhancing the blood flow and regulating the vascular peripheral resistance, preventing slow motor conduction and increasing the cell proliferation (Oleson, 2012). The acupuncture therapy for the diabetic has reduces the healing period of the non healing skin wounds like the ulcers.
2). Discussion of related or potential health problems that this activity would be used for
Acupuncture has got many uses. First, it’s used as a therapy in the treatment of infertility. During therapy sessions, imbalances of the menstrual cycles are brought in order and the reserves of the ovaries are strengthened. When the IUI or the IVE treatment starts, this therapy can be used to initiate follicular development and also helps in the reduction of side effects of medications. Acupuncture is also used in the treatment of migraines. Researchers who administered this treatment found that the patients had few attacks and needed less pain killers for medication. Experts who carried out the research found out the people who were undergoing headaches treatments had fewer migraines in the first four months of acupuncture therapy. They also were given less medication compared to those who were not having the therapy. In the treatment of arthritis, acupuncture has also been found to be very effective. The herbs and acupuncture points of treatment usually depend on whether the arthritis was caused by pathogen, damp, cold and damp heat. The acupuncture points for the treatment of arthritis are placed are all over the body but not to the affected areas only. The length of treatment varies between individuals. Most of the therapies last for about 5-30 min in one or twice a week.
3) Explanation of how the activity impacts physiological or psychological systems to promote health In the physiology system, acupuncture has been found to cause many biological responses. These responses can be witnessed locally i.e. around the place of application or at a distance which is mediated by sensory neurons to the central nervous system. This process leads to the activation of various pathways affecting the physiological system of both the periphery and the brain. In the acupuncture therapy, there have been observed some biological effects especially when “sham” acupuncture points were used. Some biological alteration like changes in the blood pressure and the release of endogenous opioids were witnessed especially after painful stimuli. Since acupuncture is a physical stimulation, it forms a cascade of changes in the body which promotes physiological functions, self regulations and enables the body to have self healing. Acupuncture stimulates the body’s signaling systems which enables the body to heal quickly under circumstances. These are the signs that acupuncture can cure or alleviate the symptoms of a disease (Chen, 2010). In the psychological systems, acupuncture therapy activates the inbuilt neurons peptide system and also influences the body’s pain regulatory system by converting the pain signals at different parts of the central nervous system. There are two model systems that acupuncture analgesia has improved: a mono amine dependent system and endorphin dependent system. The acupuncture has many effects at the nociceptive, Antonomic nerve and proprioceptive pathways to improve the dynorphins and enkephalins in the spine and midbrain and raises endorphins in the hypothalamus pituitary region. The movement of enkephilins in the midbrain also causes retrograde release of serotonin, monoamines and nor adrenaline in the spine which blocks the spinal pain transfer. The substance P is also inhibited by endorphins which are involved in pain and inflammation.
4) Summary of research and supportive evidence According to research, acupuncture was found to treat many diseases. Some of them are chronic migraines, insomnia, arthritis, nausea, infertility and many others. In the treatment of back pains, acupuncture has been proven as an effective form of treatment on a research done on over 6,359 patients. The doctors also cited some physiological phenomena which measures the effects of acupuncture. Acupuncture research has shown the release of endogenous opioids in the brain stem, sub cortical and the limbic structures. Acupuncture therapy has also shown to induce the secretion adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol from the pituitary glands hence creating anti inflammatory response. Studies in the functional of MRI show that acupuncture stimulated in the limbic and basal fore-brain areas are involved in pain processing. The scan of PET to MRIs proves that acupuncture therapy enhances opioid binding latent in the brain for some days. Connective tissues have also been proven to be stimulated by acupuncture and also it leads to the release of adenosine at the area of needle stimulation which leads to increased blood flow.
5) Description of barriers and inhibitory factors related to the health promotion/alternative therapy activity As well as how long/how often the therapy must be used to obtain the desired results. Financial concerns/costs should also be discussed.
In the acupuncture therapy, there are a number of conceptional challenges. Acupuncture is based on the whole human approach. In the experimental research, there is a problem of test-retest reliability since different specialist use different techniques that are different from the idiosyricratic nature of person’s condition. The other problem is the use of only one diagnostic label and only one stand and therapy which seems to be inappropriate in the case of anxiety and depression. The other challenge related to acupuncture research is related to its profession. Most of the acupuncturists are self employed. In the current world, there are no colleges which offer acupuncture courses or give the practitioners the chance for further research. The cost of acupuncture sessions is expensive and many cannot afford. In china, a session for about 40 minutes is around $35 to $40 and in most cases the sessions should be repeated weekly (Kobayashi, 2008).
6) Discussion of strategies to facilitate implementation of health promotion/alternative therapy activity using the SMART goal method
In implementation of acupuncture one should plan very well. It’s good to be aware of the outcomes either positive or negative. Most of the time, the implementation is based on the knowledge about the acupuncture therapy. One should wonder first about the time management. They should also know how to schedule the patients, treating by the acupuncture therapy, proving the supplements or the herbs, collecting payments, reschedule, and then starting all over again. Some of the things one should prepare are the; 1. Deliveries- one should set up a way of accepting packages 2. Ones mails-organizing bills, notices, correspondence and trash, 3. Emergency calls and also promising to call back. 3. The cash box- making sure change is available in all denominations 4. patients records- one should be prompt and be sure of how to charge insurance companies and lawyers 5. Patient education leaflets for accessible and valuable information 7. Herbal formulas for the preparation, instructions and the cost of the drugs 8.bills should be paid on time and also in full 9. The therapy side effects should be well given
10. Insurance companies should also be paid in time 11. Restrooms should also be available for the patients (Hamwee, 2012). References
Chen, D. (2010). Single point acupuncture and moxibustion for 100 diseases. Bloomington: Trafford Pub.
Hamwee, J. (2012). Acupuncture for new practitioners. London Philadelphia: Singing Dragon.
Kobayashi, S. (2008). Acupuncture core therapy : shakujyu chiryo. Taos, N.M: Paradigm Publications.
Oleson, T. (2012). Auriculotherapy Manual Chinese and Western Systems of Ear Acupuncture. City: Churchill Livingstone.
Romoli, M. (2010). Auricular acupuncture diagnosis. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.