WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?
Acupuncture (from Lat. acus, "needle" (noun), and pungere,
"puncture" (verb) or in Standard Mandarin, zhen jiu is one of the main
branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM (others being herbal medicine
and tui na). It is a therapeutic technique from that framework intended to
restore health and well-being. The technique involves the insertion of needles
into "acupuncture points" on the body by trained practitioners. The needles most
commonly used in present-day practice are made of stainless steel and are of
approximately the same diameter as a medium thickness guitar string (from
approximately .01" to .02"). Acupuncture and related practices predate modern
concepts of science, and some but not all of its traditional indications have
been verified in modern studies and clinical practice.
History
In China, the practice of acupuncture can perhaps be traced as far back as the
1st millennium BC, and archeological evidence has been identified with the
period of the Han dynasty (from 202 BC to 220 AD). The practice spread centuries
ago into many parts of Asia; in modern times it is a component of traditional
Chinese medicine (TCM), and forms of it are also described in the literature of
traditional Korean medicine where it is called chimsul. It is also important in
Kampo, the traditional medicine system of Japan.
The earliest Chinese medical texts (Ma-wang-tui graves 68 BC) do not mention
acupuncture. Later in Chinese history, 365 points along the alleged meridians
were spoken of, not because they were anatomically identified, but because there
are 365 days in a year. Different acupuncture charts give different numbers and
locations of points.
The Chinese medical text that first describes acupuncture is The Yellow
Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine (History of Acupuncture). However, some
hieroglyphics have been found dating back to 1000 B.C. that give evidence of the
concept of acupuncture. Bian stones, sharp pointed stones used to treat diseases
in ancient times, have also been discovered in ruins (History of Acupuncture in
China) but are not directly related to acupuncture.
RC Crozier in the book Traditional medicine in modern China (Harvard University
Press, Cambridge, 1968) says the early Chinese Communist Party expressed
considerable antipathy towards TCM, ridiculing it as superstitious, irrational
and backward, and claiming that it conflicted with the Party’s dedication to
science as the way of progress. Acupuncture was included in this criticism.
Reversing this position, Communist Party Chairman Mao later said that "Chinese
medicine and pharmacology are a great treasure house and efforts should be made
to explore them and raise them to a higher level". Barefoot doctors were trained
to provide inexpensive health care in rural Chinese communities. After the
Cultural Revolution, TCM instruction was incorporated into university medical
curricula under the "Three Roads" policy, wherein TCM, biomedicine and a
synthesis of the two would all be encouraged and permitted to develop.
Acupuncture in modern medicine
Medical law in the United States regarding acupuncture varies widely from state
to state. Notably, states furthest to the west (Hawaii most particularly,
California, etc.) have the most comprehensive laws and regulations regarding
acupuncture. In many U.S. states -- those furthest to the east -- medical
doctors (M.D.s) are permitted to practice acupuncture with no specific training
in acupuncture. In some states, acupuncturists are required to work with an M.D.
in a subservient relationship, even if the M.D. has no training in acupuncture.
Contrastingly, Hawaii forbids M.D.s to practice acupuncture unless they have
received specific training in it and have demonstrated related competency.
Acupuncture is becoming accepted today. Over fifteen million Americans in 1994
tried acupuncture. Acupuncture is also in the curriculum of many colleges today.
Ayurveda Herbal Medicine
In Australia, the legalities of practicing acupuncture also vary by state. In
2000, an independent government agency was established to oversee the practice
of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture in the state of Victoria. The Chinese
Medicine Registration Board of Victoria [2] aims to protect the public, ensuring
that only apropriately experienced or qualified practitioners are registered to
practice Chinese Medicine. The legislation put in place stipulates that only
practitioners who are state registered may use the following titles:
Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Registered
Acupuncturist, Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner, Registered Chinese
Herbal Medicine Practitioner.
Warming an acupuncture point, typically by moxibustion (the burning of mugwort),
is a different treatment than acupuncture itself and is often, but not
exclusively, used as a supplementing treatment. The Chinese term zhen jiu,
commonly used to refer to acupuncture, comes from zhen meaning "needle", and jiu
meaning "moxibustion". Moxibustion is still used in the 21st century to varying
degrees among the schools of traditional Chinese medicine. For example, one well
known technique is to insert the needle at the desired acupuncture point, attach
dried mugwort to the external end of an acupuncture needle, and then ignite the
mugwort. The mugwort will then smolder for several minutes (depending on the
amount adhered to the needle) and conduct heat through the needle to the tissue
surrounding the needle in the patient's body.
Most modern acupuncturists use disposable stainless steel needles of very fine
diameter (approximately .015"), sterilized with ethylene oxide or by autoclave.
The upper third of these needles is wound with a thicker wire (typically bronze)
to stiffen the needle, provide a handle for the acupuncturist to grasp while
inserting the needle, and also provide a surface to which dried mugwort will
more easily adhere.
Theory
Acupuncture treats the human body as a whole that involves several "systems of
function" that are in many cases associated with (but not identified on a
one-to-one basis with) physical organs. Some systems of function, such as the
"triple heater" (San Jiao, also called the "triple burner") have no
corresponding physical organ. Disease is understood as a loss of homeostasis
among the several systems of function, and treatment of disease is attempted by
modifying the activity of one or more systems of function through the activity
of needles, pressure, heat, etc. on sensitive parts of the body of small volume
traditionally called "acupuncture points" in English, or "xue" (?, cavities) in
Chinese.
Treatment of acupuncture points may be performed along the twelve main or eight
extra meridians, located throughout the body. Of the eight extra meridians, only
two have acupuncture points of their own. The other six meridians are
"activated" by using a master and couple point technique which involves needling
the acupuncture points located on the twelve main meridians that correspond to
the particular extra meridian. Ten of the main meridians are named after organs
of the body (Heart, Liver, etc.), and the other two are named after so called
body functions (Heart Protector or Pericardium, and San Jiao). The two most
important of the eight "extra" meridians are situated on the midline of the
anterior and posterior aspects of the trunk and head. The twelve primary
meridians run vertically, bilaterally, and symmetrically and every channel
corresponds to and connects internally with one of the twelve Zang Fu
("organs"). This means that there are six yin and six yang channels. There are
three yin and three yang channels on each arm, and three yin and three yang on
each leg.
The three yin channels of the hand (Lung, Pericardium, and Heart) begin on the
chest and travel along the inner surface (mostly the anterior portion) of the
arm to the hand.
The three yang channels of the hand (Large intestine, San Jiao, and Small
intestine) begin on the hand and travel along the outer surface (mostly the
posterior portion) of the arm to the head.
The three yang channels of the foot (Stomach, Gallbladder, and Bladder) begin on
the face, in the region of the eye, and travels down the body and along the
outer surface (mostly the anterior and lateral portion) of the leg to the foot.
The three yin channels of the foot (Spleen, Liver, and Kidney) begin on the foot
and travel along the inner surface (mostly posterior and medial portion) of the
leg to the chest or flank.
The movement of qi through each of the twelve channels is comprised of an
internal and an external pathway. The external pathway is what is normally shown
on an acupuncture chart and it is relatively superficial. All the acupuncture
points of a channel lie on its external pathway. The internal pathways are the
deep course of the channel where it enters the body cavities and related Zang-Fu
organs. The superficial pathways of the twelve channels describe three complete
circuits of the body.
The distribution of energy through the meridians is said to be as follows: Lung
channel of hand taiyin to Large Intestine channel of hand yangming to Stomach
channel of foot yangming to Spleen channel of foot taiyin to Heart channel of
hand shaoyin to Small Intestine channel of hand taiyang to Bladder channel of
foot taiyang to Kidney channel of foot shaoyin to Pericardium channel of hand
jueyin to San Jiao channel of hand shaoyang to Gallbladder channel of foot
shaoyang to Liver channel of foot jueyin then back to the Lung channel of hand
taiyin
Traditional Chinese medical theory holds that acupuncture works by normalizing
the balance of qi "vital energy" throughout the body. Pain or illnesses are
treated by attempting to remedy local or systemic accumulations or deficiencies
of qi. Pain is considered to indicate blockage or stagnation of the flow of qi,
and an axiom of the medical literature of acupuncture is "no pain, no blockage;
no blockage, no pain".
Many patients claim to experience the sensations of stimulus known in Chinese as
"deqi" (?? "obtaining the qi"). This kind of sensation was historically
considered to be evidence of effectively locating the desired point. There are
some electronic devices now available which will make a noise when what they
have been programmed to describe as the "correct" acupuncture point is pressed.
The acupuncturist will decide which points to treat by thoroughly questioning
the patient, and utilizing the diagnostic skills of traditional Chinese medicine
which include observation of the left and right radial pulses at three levels of
imposed pressure and analysis of the tongue coating, color and the absence or
presence of teeth marks around the edge.
The source of this article is
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this
article is licensed under the
GFDL
Real Ways to Get Rich on the Internet!
Post nasal drip, lose weight, diabetes, Alzheimer's, more
How to Cope with Life's Problems
how to clean athletic shoes, get rid of roaches
*This
site does not provide medical advice.
The contents of this site, such as text, graphics, images, information and other
material ("Content") contained on the this site, is for information purposes
only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical
advice, diagnosis or treatment (and the Site does not render medical, nursing,
or professional health-care advice in any jurisdiction). Always seek the advice
of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may
have regarding a medical condition or medical treatment. Never disregard
professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have
read on this Site.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, or 911 or other
emergency service number immediately. Our site does not recommend or endorse any
specific tests, products, procedures, opinions or other information that may be
mentioned on the Site. Reliance on any information provided by this Site is
solely at your own risk.