All about acupuncture & what an acupuncturist does!
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TCM (Traditional Chinese
Medical) Acupuncture,
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 Traditional Chinese Medical
(TCM)
Acupuncture
Overview
Acupuncture is an
ancient system of healing developed over thousands of years as part of the
traditional medicine of China.
Here in the
West acupuncture is usually publicised as only being helpful with
specific conditions such as pain relief. It is in fact effective with
a wide variety of conditions through it's power to stimulate the mind &
body's own healing responses.
Acupuncture is
suitable for people of all ages from babies to the elderly. Needles are normally
left in for 20-30 minutes and during this time there may be a heavy sensation in
the limbs and a pleasant feeling of relaxation. Treatment with acupuncture can
produce rapid results, but more often it requires a number of treatments,
usually at weekly intervals.
More on TCM Acupuncture
A TCM acupuncturist uses a holistic
approach to health based on over 2000 years of development in the Far East.
Traditionally, acupuncture is an holistic approach to the management of disease
as well as the maintenance of health. The skill of an acupuncturist lies in
their ability to make a traditional diagnosis from what is often a complex
pattern of disharmony or dysfunction. The exact pattern and degree of disharmony
is unique to each individual and with traditional acupuncture will be treated as
such with a personal treatment plan.
Acupuncture is a system of healing which
has been practised in China and other Eastern countries for thousands of years.
Although often described as a means of pain relief, it is in fact used to treat
people with a wide variety of illnesses, disease and conditions. It's focus is
on improving the overall well being & health of the patient, rather than the
isolated treatment of specific problems or symptoms. According to traditional
Chinese philosophy, our health is dependent on the body's vital energy - known
as Qi (or Chi) - moving in a smooth flowing and balanced way through a series of
meridians (energy channels or pathways) within the body.
Qi consists of equal and opposite
qualities or forces - 'Yin & Yang' - and when these become unbalanced or the
energy flow is restricted in some way, illness may result. By inserting fine
needles into the channels of energy, an acupuncturist can stimulate the body's
own healing systems and help restore it's natural balance. The flow of Qi can be
disturbed by a number of factors. These include emotional states such as
anxiety, stress, anger, fear or grief, poor nutrition, weather conditions,
hereditary factors, infections, poisons and trauma. The principal aim of
acupuncture in treating the whole person is to rebalance the equilibrium between
the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the individual.
Once in balance, then the person has the
greatest chance of optimum health.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is a system of diagnosis and healthcare that has
evolved over the last 3,000 years. The Chinese approach to understanding the
human body is unique. It is based on the holistic concept of the universe
outlined in the spiritual insights of Daoism, and it has produced a highly
sophisticated set of practices designed to cure illness and to maintain health
and well-being.
These practices include acupuncture, herbal remedies, diet,
and exercises such as Qigong.
The last twenty years or so have seen a dramatic increase in the popularity of
these therapies and they now enjoy a growing respect, not only from patients
who have experienced their benefits at first hand but also from the medical
fraternity in the West, who were initially extremely sceptical.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
According to traditional Chinese philosophy, our health is dependent on the
body's motivating energy - known as Qi - moving in a smooth and balanced way
through a series of channels beneath the skin. Qi consists of equal and
opposite qualities - Yin and Yang - and when these become unbalanced, illness
may result. By inserting fine needles into the channels of energy, an
acupuncturist can stimulate the body's own healing response and help restore
its natural balance.
How Does The Flow Of Qi Become Disturbed?
The flow of Qi can be disturbed by a number of factors. These include
emotional states such as anxiety, stress, anger, fear or grief, poor
nutrition, weather conditions, hereditary factors, infections, poisons and
trauma.
How Does A TCM Acupuncturist Make A Diagnosis?
To make an appropriate TCM diagnosis the acupuncturist will ask about your current
symptoms and what treatment you have had so far, your medical history and that
of your close family, your diet, digestive system, sleeping patterns and
emotional state. To discover how the energies are flowing in your body, the
acupuncturist is likely to feel your pulses on both wrists, noting their
quality, rhythm and strength. The structure, colour and coating of your
tongue also give a good guide to your physical health.
What Does It Feel Like?
Acupuncture needles bear little resemblance to those used in injections and
blood tests. They are much finer and are solid rather than hollow. When the
needle is inserted, the sensation is often described as a tingling or dull
ache. Needles are normally left in place for 20 - 30 minutes, depending on
the effect required. During treatment patients commonly experience a heaviness
in the limbs or a pleasant feeling of relaxation.
What Are The Benefits Of Acupuncture?
The benefits of Acupuncture frequently include more than just relief from a
particular condition. Many people find that it can also lead to increased
energy levels, better appetite and sleep as well as an enhanced sense of
overall well being.
All members of the
British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) observe a Code of Safe
Practice, amongst others, which lays down stringent standards of hygiene and
requires the use of sterile disposable needles.
Is Acupuncture Safe During Pregnancy?
Although there are some points that should not be used during pregnancy,
Acupuncture has shown to be effective in the treatment of Morning Sickness and
pregnancy management.
Can I Still Donate Blood?
Patients who have been treated by an acupuncturist that is
a
BAcC member are eligible to donate blood
through the National Blood Service.
Also providing TFT (Thought Field Therapy)
Here are some
reviews of Research on the Effectiveness of TCM acupuncture with common
conditions, as provided by
British
Acupuncture Council
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The following is a list of some of the more common
conditions treated by Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture, as outlined by the
WHO (World Health Organization), agency of the
United Nations
Upper Respiratory Tract
Acute sinusitis
Acute rhinitis
Common Cold
Acute tonsillitis
Respiratory System
Acute bronchitis
Bronchial asthma (most effective in children and in patients without
complicating diseases)
Disorders of the Eye
Acute conjunctivitis
Central retinitis
Myopia (in children)
Cataract (without complications)
Disorders of the Mouth
Toothache, post-extraction pain
Gingivitis
Acute and chronic pharyngitis
Gastro-intestinal Disorders
Spasms of oesophagus and cardia
Hiccough
Gastroptosis
Acute and chronic gastritis
Gastric hyperacidity
Chronic duodenal ulcer (pain relief)
Acute duodenal ulcer (without complications)
Acute and chronic colitis
Acute bacillary dysentery
Constipation
Diarrhoea
Paralytic ileus
Neurological and Musculo-skeletal
Disorders
Headache and migraine
Trigeminal neuralgia
Facial palsy (early stage, i.e., within three to six months)
Pareses following a stroke
Peripheral neuropathies
Sequelae of poliomyelitis (early stage,
i.e., within six months)
Meniere's disease
Neurogenic bladder dysfunction
Nocturnal enuresis
Intercostal neuralgia
Cervicobrachial syndrome
"Frozen shoulder," "tennis elbow"
Sciatica
Low back pain
Osteoarthritis
Medical or
Western Acupuncture, also known as Dry Needling, is a western
adaptation of traditional acupuncture. It is
practised predominantly by doctors,
physiotherapists, osteopaths & chiropractors and uses a more
limited range of acupuncture techniques on the basis of a western
medical diagnosis.
It is not
one of the various forms Traditional Oriental acupuncture and
should not be confused as such!
Dry
Needling is based on anatomy, physiology and western scientific findings, such
as, reduction in excess muscle tension/spasm, stimulating the
release of the body's natural pain killing hormones (endorphins),
etc.
Mostly you will find
that those acupuncturists that practice western acupuncture have some sort of medical
qualification and have studied it as a post graduate qualification
over relatively short courses. A great number of GPs in the UK have
attended courses on this, but it seems relatively few use it in
their day to day practice. I can only hazard a guess that time
constraints is the cause of this or perhaps they have not been
able to pursue it long enough to reap the benefits. Also, in
General Practice I imagine it would be largely used for simple
pain relief, which more often than not is relatively short lived.
Commonly a few hours to a few days. That said, if this enables the
patient to get the painful area/joint moving, thus reducing the
local inflammation, then that may be enough to get them on the
road to recovery.
A Simplified
Example
How I might treat
someone with a Frozen Shoulder
After a detailed case
history, examination & diagnosis, if severe, then I may
suggest the addition of acupuncture to the treatment. Needling
prior to osteopathic treatment usually gains a degree of pain
relief & reduces the local muscle spasm. This, then allows for
a greater degree of osteopathic manipulation with less pain to
increase the movement in the shoulder. Self care advice &
exercises are given to enable the patient to maintain the extra
movement gained & hopefully improve on it before the next
treatment. This approach - I find speeds the rate of recovery,
reduces the number of treatments needed and helps the person feel
that they have some control over their problem.
Problems that I find Western
Acupuncture particularly useful for, as an adjunct to osteopathy, include:-
Severe neck & back
problems, painful conditions in general, headaches, migraine, pain
in any of the joints & limbs, tinnitus, sleep problems,
fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) & Irritable Bowel
Syndrome (IBS).
NB
I do
not use acupuncture to treat people specifically for problems such as diabetes, weight loss, stopping
smoking, etc. I only use it as an addition to osteopathy or with
NAET on occasions, for these
sorts of problems it would more appropriate to see our
Traditional Chinese Medical
Acupuncturist - Jennifer
Jones
Or if you like the concept of Traditional Chinese Medicine, but
don't feel you can face the needles you could try
reflexology,
Thai massage
or
shiatsu, all of which are based on
TCM.
While reflexology works indirectly (via the
feet) on the meridian/bio-energetic system, Thai massage & shiatsu work
directly on the energy pathways of the body by working on the muscles &
tissues.
Western Acupuncturist
- Andrew
C. Woodhouse BSc (Hons) Ost
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More on
Acupuncture in Health Issues
Acupuncture
Links Page
Some
Acupuncture Articles on the BBC's site
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