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Acupuncture Needles

April 20th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Tip! For 40 years, the acupuncture system has gained popularity and has been widely accepted as an alternative medicine in both developed and developing counties. The American Cancer Society (ACS) formed for the treatment of cancer and treatment-related symptoms has recommended the use of acupuncture in cancer patients.

Acupuncture, a procedure that invites healing through stimulation of anatomical locations on or in the skin, evolved out of Chinese medicine over 2500 years ago. There are a variety of approaches to diagnosis and treatment in American acupuncture that incorporates medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries. The most studied mechanism of stimulation of acupuncture points employs penetration of the skin by thin needles, which are manipulated manually or by electrical stimulation.

It is believed that the earliest acupuncture needles were sharp pieces of bone or flint called bian stones. Early acupuncture needles were made from iron, copper, bronze, and even silver or gold. During the Iron and Bronze Ages, metal acupuncture needles began to surface. However, it is not unusual for contemporary acupuncturists to employ gold acupuncture needles to treat certain ailments.

The needles employed by acupuncturists today are stainless steel, solid (unlike standard needles used for drawing blood which are hollow) and vary in size or width gauge. Acupuncture needles consist of a stainless steel shaft and a handle made out of copper or steel. There are nine types of needles used in acupuncture; however, only six are commonly used.

Tip! While science will continue to study the so-called efficacy of acupuncture and depression, the bottom line is that acupuncture has been used successfully on a wide range of health conditions for thousands of years. The proof is in the many anecdotal stories told by happy patients.

Needles are inserted at points from 15 to 90 degrees in relation to the skin’s surface. Once the needle has been inserted there are a variety of techniques that aid in the stimulation and sensation. The technique used by the acupuncturist will depend on the ailment that is being treated. Acupuncture is essentially pain-less, some people may experience a slight pinch as the needle is inserted. Once inserted, the needles remain in place for approximately 20-30 minutes.

Tip! There are about 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body. Each point is associated with different healing attributes.

On March 29, 1996, the Food and Drug Administration bestowed the Class 2 status of “medical tools” to acupuncture needles. Acupuncture needles were previously listed under Class 3, or “experimental devices.” The change of classification means that needles used for acupuncture will be subject to FDA approval to ensure quality control and “single use only” labeling. Most significant, the ruling could make acupuncture treatments eligible for coverage under insurance policies which exclude alternative medicine.

The FDA ruling indicates that acupuncture is a safe and effective medical treatment. Because modern acupuncture needles are disposable and used only once, there is no risk of transmitting infections from one person to another.

Betty Durden is a staff writer for The National Directory of Acupuncture Specialists located at http://www.acupuncture-treatment-specialists.com/

Acupuncture: What is It? Is It Something I Should Do?

April 18th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Tip! With acupuncture’s more than 3000-year history, it’s hard to negate its healing or therapeutic effects. And thus, even up to this day, a lot of people support this traditional medicinal practice.

Acupuncture is an ancient study. It is a technique that has been done for hundreds of years as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The goal of this procedure is to restore the well being and the health of the individual. While it may seem strange, acupuncture uses a method of inserting needles into specific points in the body. It should only be preformed by a skilled individual, one that has received training in it. If you are wondering if this is something for you, you’ll need to learn a little more about what acupuncture can provide as well as how it is done.

Why It Works

Acupuncture points are located throughout the body. Today, stainless steel needles are used. They are about .01 to .02 in thickness. The procedure treats the body as a whole. It works to improve the function of several systems of function that are associated with several physical organs in the body. If there is a problem with the systems or a disease is present, acupuncture tries to address this by attempting to modify the activity of one or several of the systems of function. They do this with a combination of heat, needles, and pressure on the sensitive parts of the body which are called acupuncture points. They help to restore the body through a method of yin and yang.

There are six yin channels and six yang channels. There are three of each in each arm and three of each in each leg. There are yin and yang points throughout the body including the hands and the feet. The goal is to restore the balance of qi in the body. Qi is a term used to describe vital energy. This is the very foundation of being alive and functioning in Traditional Chinese Medicine technologies. If there are deficiencies of qui, there can be pain and illness. Pain is supposed to mean that there is a blockage or a poor flow of qi.

What Happens During Acupuncture

When you visit an acupuncturist, you will already have insured that the individual is capable of performing the procedure because they have been trained. This individual will determine which points to treat based on questions that they will ask you. . They will then use diagnostic skills to determine and observe the left and right radial pulses. They will look at the tongue coating and notice if there are teeth marks around the edges of it. From here, there is quite a bit of difference in what is done as far as the various techniques go.

Western Acupuncture

There are several things that are done in acupuncture in the western cultures. For example, to treat a throbbing headache, the acupuncturist will stimulate the area of the hand between the thumbs and the palms (the webbing that is located there). These points, called, the gu points are known for helping the face and head areas of the body. There are many various ways in which it can help you such as this one.

What Can It Benefit?

So, what can acupuncture do for you? There are a number of conditions in which it can be used with proven and unproven results. While Traditional Chinese Medicine is debated, some studies have found some benefits to using it for treatments. Some conditions in which acupuncture has been shown to show some benefits include tennis elbow, depression, headache, lower back pain, chronic heart failure, labor, menopausal symptoms, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. It is important to note that they don’t necessarily cure the condition but can help to relieve or benefit it in some way.

Many of the treatments and methods of acupuncture are yet to be realized. In western culture, there is always a wait and see for testing. But, the testing is expensive and not one that is a priority to many. For that, it will take a long time before it can be proven and used as a standard medical treatment as it is used in many Asian countries. There are many ways in which acupuncture can provide excellent results and without the harmful side effects of medications. In fact, in many cases, it can be safer to treat conditions with acupuncture over medications.

If you choose to use acupuncture, all of the benefits and difference comes in finding a well trained, experienced acupuncturist.

Tip! The usual places of your body where acupuncture will be done are your ears. The feeling is not painful and most people find it relaxing.

For more information on how to use acupuncture for stop quit smoking visit http://www.acupuncture-therapy.net/acupuncture/acupunctureforstopquitsmoking/. You may freely reprint this article on your website or in your newsletter provided this courtesy notice, link and URL remain intact.

All about Acupuncture - The Power of Needles

April 11th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Tip! We have made a research on the subject of acupuncture. Find it only on the atlanta acupuncture for infertility pregnancy and much more.

Acupuncture is a method that originated in China over 5000 years ago. It is a holistic practice that is based on the belief of releasing blocked energy or “chi” in living beings. These energy lines circulate through twelve invisible energy lines known as meridians of the body. Each meridian is associated with a different organ system in your body so the needle insertions in each of these meridians reduce the respective disease associated with that meridian point.

What acupuncture can do?

Usually people suffer from diseases when energy gets blocked in the meridians. When the needles are inserted into the specific points along the meridian lines, the balanced flow of energy is restored. Acupuncture works effectively because the needles stimulate the release of pain-relieving endorphins into the body, influences the release of neurotransmitters and also enhances the working of autonomic nervous systems. By influencing the electrical currents in the body, acupuncture also improves blood circulation throughout the body.

Tip! The first two groups were told they received the traditional acupuncture and depression treatment. The finding showed the first group had as much improvement as if they had received medication.

School of acupuncture therapy

School of acupuncture therapy provides acupuncture-training courses to all practitioners. These courses help them to perform various acupuncture treatments to reduce diseases in human beings. The acupuncture therapy school teaches the acupuncturists to perform a number of treatments like acupuncture with needles and acupuncture without needles.

Acupuncture with needles include curing disorders like head and neck pains, migraines, cervical spondylitis, Azoospermia, genitor-urinary systems like bed-wetting in children, laryngitis, earache, depression, arthritis, deafness, schizophrenia and skin disorders like Acne, psoriasis, and falling hair. Sometimes the needles are electrified to produce better results. This also helps in curing smoking, alcoholism and drug addictions.

Other unique acupuncture treatment offered by acupuncture schools

Needle-less acupuncture includes techniques like Moxibustion, Soft Laser Therapy, Cupping Therapy, and Ultrasonopuncture.

1. Sujok Acupuncture - the acupuncture schools offers this unique technique where the expert uses only his hands and legs. He inserts microscopic needles into the points or even a sesame seed and small magnets that relieve the patients instantly.
2. Acutron Mentor Acupuncture - this is one of the most advanced techniques that use electro curative apparatus that offers micro current therapies and interferential current through the needles. It is advantageous because it can be used for pain management and treating all types of diseases.

Tip! But one promising method, which is often disregarded, is acupuncture. Personal stories of tinnitus patients, who are treated with acupuncture, show that this method of treatment can be a reasonable alternative in comparison with orthodox medicine.

Special training methods of acupuncture NYC

Other significant acupuncture treatments are offered by Acupuncture NYC [New York City] center. The main advantage of their techniques is confirmed remedy and there are no side effects. They heal severe cases of menstrual disorders, PMS, endometriosis, cysts and fibroids, hot flashes, arthritis, infertility problems in men and women, pregnancy problems, circulation problems, digestive disorders, ulcerative colitis, diarrhea and constipation.

Tip! Needle-less acupuncture includes techniques like Moxibustion, Soft Laser Therapy, Cupping Therapy, and Ultrasonopuncture.

The ancient method of acupuncture truly helps in stress management strategies and rebalances the body’s energetic forces to achieve harmony and sense of well being.

We have made the most comprehensive research on acupuncture. Find it only on acupuncture for sinus headache migrains and more. All about acupuncture on LeanderNet - http://www.leandernet.com

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