Acupuncture and Vitality

Acupuncture and Vitality

Introduction

A system of diagnosis and treatment based on the idea that disease, injury and the pain and discomfort they cause are disturbances in the body's normal flow of bioelectric energy, called qi or chi. Treatment therefore is directed at correcting obstructions, imbalances or other adverse changes in the pathways of that flow. These pathways have been mapped as a system of 14 major "meridians" passing over points associated with specific organs and body functions. To restore the body's natural balance, the principal method of treatment is the insertion of hair-thin needles of surgical steel at one or more of almost 2,000 points on the body (361 lie along the meridians; the rest are nearby) to stimulate them so as to affect the particular problem being treated. The technique varies, in some cases not even involving insertion under the skin, but merely touching it, and in others, inserted to a depth of up to an inch. Usually 10 to 12 needles are used at the same time. In one common technique, the inserted needles remain in place for 15 minutes to an hour at a time; usually a series of treatments—5 to 20 on the average—is required. The precise duration and number of treatments depend on the patient's age and general health as well as the nature of the problem. The needles, of surgical steel, are carefully sterilized. About 2 inches long and as fine as a strand of hair, they rarely cause bleeding or pain. The sensation varies, depending on the depth and angle of insertion and one's pain threshold. It may resemble a slight tingling or mild electric shock, or a vague tugging or aching feeling. Acupuncturists sometimes also use heat or electric stimulation (applied via the needles) and/or special herbal medicines and Oriental massage.A new use of acupuncture is for cosmetic purposes. Like other cosmetic surgery, it aims to erase wrinkles and unsightly lines. Although evidence shows that acupuncture is an effective adjunctive treatment for hypertension, chronic pain, headache, and back pain, it still has not been proved that acupuncture reduces wrinkles.

The paper will focus on Acupuncture which is an alternative medicine and how it helps in relieving pain and curing other disorders.

Discussion

Acupuncture is the centuries-old therapy foundation of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in which practitioners insert fine needles into certain points on the body. From the perspective of Eastern medicine and TCM, acupunctureinfluences the flow of energy (called chi or qi) within the body. Each of the several thousand acupuncture points accesses a network of energy channels called meridians, which are representational rather than physical structures that roughly follow to the body's blood vessels and nerves. Inserting needles along these meridians releases energy blockages, restoring the flow and balance of energy and relieving symptoms. There are acupuncture point combinations for a broad spectrum of physical and emotional ailments.The Western perspective views acupuncture as a method that stimulates cells to release chemicals that improve their ability to communicate with one another (neurotransmitters and hormones) ...