ORADEVARA

Archive for the ‘Acupuncture’ Category

The foundation of acupuncture rests on the relevance of an individual’s chi in maintaining bodily and mental health. It is believed that chi is present in every living creature, and flows through specific pathways in the body. Health problems arise when the flow of chi on the body is blocked. As a result, a person may feel persistent headaches, muscle pain, fever, weakness, or in the worst case, becomes afflicted with more serious health conditions.

A Deeper Explanation of Acupuncture

Acupuncture has its origins in ancient Chinese philosophy and practice. More than ten thousand years ago, during the Old Stone Age of China, stones were fashioned into knives for medical purposes. After several years, during the New Stone Age, these stones were eventually made into needles intended for the same therapeutic end. These accounts are further evidenced by unearthed stone needles found to be of the same types used during the New Stone Age.

There are basically 14 pathways throughout the body where chi flows continuously. These are called the meridian points. In order for chi to course through the body unobstructed, there has to be a balance between the strengths of yin and yang. In ancient Chinese philosophy, yin and yang represent the forces of the universe- yin is for feminine, while yang is for masculine. Every single thing in the universe is believed to contain both yin and yang for harmony.

When the yin and yang are not balanced, chi cannot stream through the body liberally. Therefore, the meridian points through which chi courses through need to be stimulated. This is done by the insertion of hair-thin, disposable needles in specific areas on a person’s body to induce bodily harmony and bring about healing.

A certified and trained acupuncturist will be able to carry out an excellent therapy session for the patient. Trainings for acupuncturists are given in order for them to obtain their licenses. A poor practitioner may not be proficient enough with the practice and could end up jeopardizing the results of the entire procedure. Nowadays, it is wise to verify on a practitioner’s credentials to ensure a safe and effective acupuncture treatment.

What This Ancient Method Does

One of the foremost effects of acupuncture on the body is relaxation. Stress is frequently pinpointed as the main precursor for a host of physical ailments. There are particular points all over the body that direct the flow of harmony and relaxation and when these are enthused, the patient becomes more at ease.

Another positive effect of this alternative therapy is increased pain control. During a session, a patient will usually feel very minimal pain as the thin needles are being inserted gradually. However, the needles are deliberately placed in varying depths, depending on the health requirements of the patient. When the needles reach the right depth, the patient will feel deeper pain, although the entire procedure is not necessarily painful.

It is also recommended for relief from chemotherapy fatigue as well as chemotherapy-related nausea. It has also been found to be largely effective for back pains, migraines, menstrual cramps, and as a pain controller for patients after undergoing surgical operations.

Variations of Conventional Acupuncture

Auriculotherapy or ear acupuncture is one of the variations of conventional acupuncture. In this practice, it is believed that the ear provides a map for all the major bodily organs. A specific area or point on the ear corresponds to a particular organ, such as the heart, kidneys, or liver. Thus, the needles are placed in particular points around the ear and on the ear cartilage.

Staplepuncture is a method used in smoking cessation, wherein staples are placed for a certain period anywhere on the ear area to provide stimulation.

Indeed there is growing evidence that this traditional Oriental practice can rival any modern forms of treatment. If you are one of the many people who are looking for a widely recognized and time honored therapeutic practice, acupuncture may just be the alternative treatment for you.

Smoking is one hard habit to break. If nicotine patches and gum doesn’t work, perhaps you should try something else like an alternative form of healthcare like acupuncture.

Acupuncture is an ancient practice involving the use of needles. This instrument is inserted into the skin to allow you energy or Qi to start flowing freely around your body and thus help you quit smoking.

When you go visit an acupuncturist for the first time and tell him or her that you want to quit smoking, after answering some questions, the specialist will carry out an examination of your ears and search for areas where the energy is low.

Once these spots are identified, these sharp needles are then inserted. Usually 5 needles are placed in various acupoints.

The treatment is finished after an hour and when the needles are removed, you are advised to wear ear magnets so your session continues even when you leave the clinic.  While acupuncture itself is a painless procedure, some smokers have claimed that they felt a prick or get sleepy.

Most smokers will have to come to the clinic 4 to 6 times before seeing any significant results.  Just to give you an idea, one study shows that the respondents reported a decrease in the number of cravings to smoke just after one or two sessions. Seven out of 10 of the respondents were able to kick the habit after 5 or 6 sessions.

Because the number of test subjects is small, there are some who doubt the effectiveness of acupuncture.  This is because although there are positive signs with regards to the short term effects of this technique, its effects were not sustained. This is why some medical journals have stated that it is unclear what acupuncture can do in smoking cessation.

But you have to remember that acupuncture is not permanent. It merely starts something that you have to finish on your own. Some smokers who go 2 or 3 times a week to the clinic will need to come back for follow up sessions in the future.

At the same time, you have to find ways to prevent yourself from picking up a cigarette. You can do this by staying away from people who smoke since you will be tempted to ask for a stick. You can create your own personal mantra which you repeat to yourself every time you have an urge.

Remember that this craving is only short term and will last only for a few minutes. You have worked so hard to leave this behind so stick to the path and stay smoke free.

Acupuncture treatment for smokers should only be done by a license professional. You can do some research online to find out if they are accredited by the National Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, ask how long they have been in the profession, find out how many smokers they have helped and how much will they charge.

Once you have found one, you have to commit yourself to the program because both you and the acupuncturist have to work together to give up this habit.

Acupuncture can help smokers in the same way that it has helped addicts and alcoholics quit their addictions. You just have to try it even if you may not believe in it.

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.

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 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.