| Acupuncture Daniel M. Burrello The underlying theory and philosophy of acupuncture is extremely different from the western medical model. In the west, the biomedical model has been responsible for the vast majority of medical procedure, expenditure and education for the last hundred years. The acupuncture model is primarily one of energy flow and its manipulation. This would seem remarkably like the idea of �bile� and �humors� once the standard during the darker period of western culture, but the acupuncture energy model has strong ties to the nervous system and its most subtle of operations. In the traditions of Chinese medicine, specific imbalances in energy or �qi� (usually pronounced �chee� in the Chinese, or �kee� in the Japanese) are believed to be the source of illness. This energy is thought to flow down 20 major paths or meridians in the body. This stream of energy is thought to be accessible at 400 acupuncture points along the body. By inserting very fine needles or manipulating t5he tissue at these points in combinations, practitioners believe that they can help rebalance energy flow and halt the progress of illnesses, allowing one�s natural healing powers to take over and do their job without the hindrance of the blockages. Usually done in weekly or bi-weekly outpatient treatment sessions, a series of 10-12 sessions is the norm. Although each practitioner is an individual with their own individual style, usually one visits for an hour. First, there is a basic physical examination and an assessment of the current problems or conditions, the actual treatment takes places followed by a discussion with suggestions for home self-care. During the treatment phase, the acupuncturist uses sterilized, individually wrapped, stainless steel needles that are discarded after each use. Studies as to the operation of acupuncture have been largely fruitless. We still do not know why or how the treatment works, though study after study shows that it does. Primarily used as a pain control device, acupuncture is also used to do everything from lower blood pressure to aid in immune system function. Acupuncture is still difficult to study using the usual scientific methods; meridians don�t correspond to familiar circulatory or nervous systems. There is some thought that they correspond to connective tissue. Still, controversy exists. Many critics see acupuncture as a placebo device, helpful with minor pain control but useless otherwise, despite studies to the contrary that demonstrate concrete results (Research report, 2002 p.2). Early studies show that acupuncture is helpful with many conditions. According to the national institutes for health (2002), acupuncture works in three different ways: It releases opiods, endorphins, the natural pain control release by the body during injury. It stimulates the CNS (central nervous system), the brain and spinal cord to release neurotransmitters and neurohormones that activate the immune system�s assets. It causes bodily functions to change. Acupuncture has been demonstrated to alter blood pressure, blood flow and body temperature due to changes in the CNS. Acupuncture has been shown to be successful in specific situation such as post-operational pain, dental procedural pain control, menstrual pain, and even tennis elbow. Studies have also shown benefits for depression, back and neck pain, chemotherapy induced nausea, osteoarthritis and high blood pressure. It would be, due to the difficulty in actually measuring affects of acupuncture, impossible to create a complete list of conditions in which acupuncture is indicated as a treatment. Acupuncture has been demonstrated to be safe when performed properly, useful when used a s a complement to other treatment methods, helpful in controlling pain, and it may be an alternative is one does not react well from the use of pain medicine. Obviously, due to the use of needles, a client who is suffering from bleeding disorders or who may be taking blood thinners are not good candidates for acupuncture. Some other risks are usually due to unskilled practitioners. Organ puncture such as lung, (one can only guess as to how incompetent a practitioner would have to be to puncture a lung using a tiny acupuncture needle) transmission of infectious disease, broken of forgotten needles and minor bleeding. However, when a skilled and knowledgeable practitioner is involved, especially a physician, these dangers are nearly non-existent. In fact only 671 out of 10,000 patients reported problems 590 being minor bleeding, and 49-270 being slight needling pain. Aggravation of symptoms was reported in 96 out of 10,000 cases, however over 70% of cases reported a marked improvement in symptom reduction (Ernst, E. Hart, A. Hayhoe, S. & White, A. 2001 p.1). In the United States, acupuncture is offered by two groups, the first is around 3,000 medical doctors, the second, 11,000 certified acupuncturists. All must be certified by passing the board exams of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. References Ernst, E. Hart, A. Hayhoe, S. & White, A. (2001). Adverse events following acupuncture: prospective survey of 32,000 consultations with doctors and physiotherapists. [Article in the on line journal British Medical Journal]. Retrieved August 2, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/323/7311/485 Research report: Acupuncture (2002). National center for complementary and alternative medicine. National institutes for health. NCCAM Publication No. D003 March 2002. |