Uses of Acupuncture

Uses of Acupuncture

Many people today are turning toward finding medical solutions through alternative medicine. One such treatment is acupuncture. Acupuncture comes from China and has been a treatment for well over two thousand years. Over those years it has evolved into what it is today. Look around in your city and you will notice how many alternative practices there are today. Patients are looking for something more than just taking a pill to make them feel better. In our society, more people are choosing to live a healthier lifestyle and that would include, eating a healthy diet, exercising and seeking alternative treatment and therapies when they feel ill.

The patients that choose acupuncture are generally going to do so because of the fact that it gives them pain relief, it eases the symptoms of menopause and also because of the fact that it helps with blood circulation issues. Acupuncture is used to treat a variety of patient complaints. The patient continues the treatments until they feel the symptoms begin to subside. Once you find a good acupuncturist, he will make a patient plan to take care of your complaints. Most patients will have to come in a few times a week to get acupuncture treatments, and they continue until significant progress and improvement is made. The treatments can be as short as a few weeks and it is working for you should begin to feel your body improving.

The definition of the word acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine where the acupuncturist inserts thin needles part way into the body in specific places. Acupuncture is commonly used in China, and now is being recognized and used in America on patients. When you choose alternative medicine such as acupuncture you will not be given any type of medication. You may be given organic herbs, tea or topical balms to use in conjunction with the main treatment.

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Introduction to the Subject of Aromatherapy

Essential Oils Box

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Introduction to the Subject of Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy began about one thousand years ago in China. It uses plant or essential oils from each plant to create a pleasant aroma. The patients that smell the aromas will often feel more relaxed and balanced. Examples of aromatherapy include burning herbs such as sage, and warming essential oils for their beautiful scents. The oils can be rubbed into the skin, it enters into the bloodstream and the patient feels both mental and physical lifted.  It is important to use only organic essential oils and herbs when practicing aromatherapy. When purchasing essential oils, be sure they are packaged in amber colored bottles.

There are a variety of ways to use essential oils. Some companies put them into cold processed soaps, hair shampoo and conditioner and shower gels. You may place a few drops of essential oil into your shampoo if you want to experience that particular oil. Another way is to warm two cups of water on the stove and add several drops of the essential oil of your choice. As it simmers it is reaching every room in your home. It makes for a very relaxing break when you need one. It soothes your nerves and allows you to calm down and relax, this is perfect when you are experiencing an over load of stress.

Massage therapist will often mix essential oils in the massage lotion. This type of aromatherapy adds to the ambiance of the massage room. Another way to use the oils is to place a few drops into your warm bath water. The warmth of the water along with the oil of your choice your stress level will quickly disappear. Some essential oils are edible such as organic essential lemon oil it can be used to make lemonade or use it as a cleanser. There are a variety of aromatherapy products on the market today. A great place to look for those products is to shop online.

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Acupuncture on Animals

Acupuncture on Animals

We are already aware of the fact that you can use acupuncture treatments in human patients, as this is a popular form of alternative medicine. But let us explore acupuncture as it is performed on animals. Over three thousand years ago in India, there were old veterinarian records of acupuncture being preformed. The first treatments were done on elephants. In today’s world, performing acupuncture on animals is a normal treatment. In fact, veterinary students will find that some of their current text books have plenty of acupuncture information. Before deciding upon acupuncture care for your animal it is wise to talk with other veterinarians for a second opinion if you deem it necessary.

Acupuncture is used to treat animals can reduce pain making them feel better. Since they can not talk to tell you the problem the acupuncturist must be a bit of a detective. Dog owners have a bond and tend to understand their dogs. They know when the dog isn’t feeling good or if the dog is depressed or in pain. Once the problem is known then the treatment can begin. Most dogs will be calm when receiving the treatments and may be calm enough to sleep during that time. Like a human patient, animals will get a treatment plan and may have to visit the acupuncturist several times each week.

When the dog has gone through a few weeks worth of treatments, it will be time to determine how much the dog has improved. Continue the visits until the dog has improved significantly. Acupuncture can be used on exotic birds, lizards and cats as well as unusual animals such as sugar gliders and ferrets. It is important to find a veterinarian who has been an acupuncturist for many years and has a few years of experienced under their belt. If you have tried everything up to this point trying to make your pet well consider this alternative.

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Acupuncture and Anesthesia

Following the Chinese Civil War the Chinese Communist Party stressed science and held in ridicule many traditional Chinese beliefs in medicine as nothing more than superstition. Acupuncture fell into the group of irrational, backward beliefs. Later, Mao Zedong reversed the official position of the government emphasizing the need to elevate traditional Chinese forms of pharmacology and medicine.
It wasn’t until President Richard Nixon visited China that acupuncture began to be noticed in the United States. The delegation was taken to see an operation where the surgery on the patient was being performed without anesthesia. Instead he was awake and undergoing acupuncture to block the pain during the procedure. However, it was later found that this was a sham as the patient used for this demonstration had a very high tolerance to pain and in addition to being heavily indoctrinated prior to the operation he was also receiving morphine through a surreptitiously hidden intravenous drip line.
James Reston, a New York Times reporter and part of the delegation that visited China with Nixon, suffered an emergency appendectomy (under regular anesthesia). For his post operative pain he received acupuncture, and believed it to have reduced the pain he should have been experiencing. He wrote about it in the New York Times. As a consequence, by 1973 acupuncture became a deductible medical expense in the United States.
The BBC produced documentary in 2006 called Alternative Medicine. In it they filmed the operation of a patient undergoing open heart surgery while under anesthesia produced by acupuncture. Later is came to light that the patient had actually been given several weak anesthetics which together had a more powerful effect than regular anesthesia.
The scientific community has now dropped the idea that acupuncture is a reasonable alternative to anesthesia. In fact, the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal reported in 1995 that acupuncture had fallen out of favor and that medical practitioners now only consider acupuncture as a pain reducer and not an anesthetic.

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When Should You Seek Alcoholism Treatment Centers?

Some typical alcoholic beverages.
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Most people know and understand that just because you have a drink once in a while does not mean that you need to look into treatment for alcoholism. In fact, most people will agree that if you enjoy alcohol, drinking on occasion can be a great stress relief and a way to kick back and relax. So, what reasons do people have for getting the occasional drink? Most commonly, people will drink socially. What this means is that they will go have a drink with their friends, co-workers, or even family. Going out to a bar or restaurant and having a drink with others who are also drinking alcohol is what social drinking is.

Another reason that people choose to drink on occasion is to relax. Sometimes, after a long, hard day at work, coming home and having a glass of wine or a beer can be just the ticket. It is something that is not necessary for every day, but sometimes it is nice to be able to indulge.

Many people wonder, though, when it goes from being a casual drink that is OK to something more. When does it become time to look at alcoholism treatment centers? Statistics say that on average alcoholism takes about 15 years to develop, though obviously, this is not always the case. There is a point where drinking becomes too much. There are different ways to define this. For example, if you find that you are drinking every night and can barely make it through a day without thinking about a drink, you may have a bigger problem. Another sign is if you often drink alone instead of just in social situations. When a person becomes dependant on the alcohol to get him or her through the day to day, this is when it becomes alcoholism.

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The Electromagnetic Flow

Electromagnetic energy is a relatively new direction modern medicine is beginning to accept. It has the potential to treat or positively affect many of the illnesses people struggle with today. This is primarily due to our ability to specifically control the flow of electrons and to either add or subtract their passage in particular areas of the body. By adding or subtracting electrons doctors are able to increase chemical reactions in the body which in turn helps facilitate healing. Consider holding two magnets with the same ends (or poles) facing each other. They fight to stay apart, they refuse to come together. Turn one around so that the opposite pole is facing the original pole and they come together with surprising strength.
In the body the concept is used by having either negatively or positively charged ions affect receptor sites in the body that makes use of the chemicals the body naturally produces. When the ions have the same charge there is no attraction to the site, when they are opposite there is an attraction to the receptor site which produces enhanced chemical changes which produces increased healing. When a body is sick or injured there are chemicals that the body needs to be produce to affect healing. Sometimes these chemicals have a receptor site that shares the same electrical charge and is therefore unable to make use of these chemicals. By employing an opposite charged field of ions in this area the electromagnetic treatment can be used to facilitate healing that would otherwise not take place.
Interestingly enough, this practice of electromagnetic energy is not new to our day. Hippocrates is known to have used magnets as long ago as 450 BC in order to treat ailments of his time. It emerged from the Greek societies into the Roman. Galen, a Roman citizen of his time used electromagnetism to help treat ailing gladiators for physical traumas experienced in the coliseum. He later went on to become the personal physician to Marcus Aurelius.

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The Early History of Acupuncture

The earliest records of acupuncture date back to a text written in the second century BC. It’s exact origins within China are not known, though it believed it was discovered by soldiers who were hit by arrows that helped cure chronic pain.
The practice can be traced back to as far as the Stone Age where sharpened stones called Bian shi were used as the first instruments of acupuncture. But it wasn’t until the second century BC that metal needles replaced those of stone and bone. The earliest text in China that actually described acupuncture was the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine compiled between 305 and 204 BC.
The text doesn’t distinguish between acupuncture and another medicinal practice called moxibustion. (This treatment involved dried mugwort rolled into cigar shapes and burned onto a patient’s skin). Both treatments are described in the text, the sharp stones being used to open abscesses moxibustion used like acupuncture. By the second century BC the moxibustion was replaced by traditional forms of acupuncture for systemic conditions.
Though its roots are in China it is possible that an understanding of acupuncture concepts existed elsewhere in Eurasia during the Bronze Age. The mummified body of Otzi the Iceman in discovered in Europe has been found to have tattoos on his body. Many of these tattoos are located in acupuncture points used today. This seems to indicate that this practice may have been used outside of China during his time.
By 1023 Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty had bronze statuettes produced which depict the meridian and acupuncture sites used in that day. However, following the Song Dynasty acupuncture began to fade as medications began to take its place as the most important form of healing. It was soon thought of as a practice similar to shamanism and moxibustion which had fallen in medical prestige

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Types of Holistic Healers

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Holistic medicine is quickly becoming a popular form used in treating illnesses. Many people are considering a career in holistic medicine. There are many types of popular careers to choose from that can help heal a person from the inside and outside.

Chiropractors use the musculoskeletal system in order to heal ailments within the body. By focusing on the nervous system, chiropractors manipulate the body to fix common problems people experience in their back, spine or other areas. A professional degree is required to become a chiropractor and an exam is also taken in order to get a license to practice.

Another career to consider in an acupuncturist. These people heal by inserting tiny needles into specific areas of the body that help to reduce pain. Acupuncturists go through very extensive training in order to practice this method of holistic medicine. All acupuncturists need to become certified through the National Certification Commission and of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).

Acupressure is another common technique used in holistic medicine. This involves massaging to put pressure on specific areas of the body that are related to acupuncture points. One needs to become certified to practice acupressure, and it can be related to the area of a career in massage techniques.

Pursuing a career in homeopathy may prove to be difficult, as it involves being a practicing medical physician as well. Homeopathy is a holistic method that uses a system created over 200 years ago. Homeopathic practitioners treat patients with small doses of a substance that would put the same symptoms in a healthy person.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in holistic medicine, make sure to research all the qualifications you need to practice that method. The best choice is one you feel comfortable performing, and with the right schooling, you can become certified in what is quickly becoming a popular way to heal patients.

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What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese method that has been used for thousands of years. Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine that uses tiny needles inserted in specific areas of the body. These needles will work to bring out the body’s natural energy, which can then help the body start to heal itself.

The needles used in acupuncture are very small, and do not hurt when inserted into the skin. In this form of alternative medicine, the needles usually go in the skin about 1/4 to 1 inch deep. The depth is usually determined by the type of ailment the patient has, as well as their age and size.

Acupuncture generally involves several sessions and most last around 30 minutes. When entering the acupuncturists room, a patient will be asked to lie face-up or face-down, or even on his/her side, all depending on where the needles are inserted. The acupuncturist will then insert sterile needles into the patient, and this will be pain-free. Once the needles are inserted to their correct depth, an aching sensation will be felt by the patient. The needles will then stay in the body for about twenty minutes.

There are many benefits to acupuncture as a form of alternative medicine. It works to control many types of pain, and the treatment is safe when done correctly. It may be another alternative to try when traditional medicine isn’t working for a person. It may also be another solution for those that don’t want to take drugs.

There are also risks associated with acupuncture, such as it being dangerous for those that have blood disorders or for patients that take blood thinner medication. A person may also experience bruising, bleeding or soreness at the site of the needle insertion. Sterilized needles may also be inserted by practitioners that do not properly use their needles.

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Acupuncture Gains Popularity as an Effective Treatment For Arthritis

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As we age, our joints break down and develop arthritis. The most common form, osteoarthritis, is found in nearly 80 percent of all seniors age 65 and older. Joint pain and inflammation is caused by the simultaneous erosion of joint cartilage, and new bone growth inside the joint. Major joints including fingers, knees, hips and the spinal column are the most affected, with pain intensifying with movement and improving with rest.

Arthritis and associated symptoms can be successfully managed with acupuncture. Chinese medical practitioners have been treating arthritis for more than 2,000 years, typically with Acupuncture and a combination of Chinese herbal remedies. The course and frequency of treatment varies with individual circumstances. Small needles are inserted across various locations in the body, and not necessarily directly into the affected joint.

Much research has been done to study the effects of acupuncture on the symptoms of arthritis, with results overwhelmingly supporting the ancient practice as an effective treatment. In one European study, about 25 percent of arthritis patients treated with acupuncture opted to forego previously scheduled knee surgery because they had lasting relief.

Due to the holistic nature of Traditional Chinese Medicine, arthritis is not viewed as a separate disease. The approach is to treat symptoms that are specific to each person, with a combination of remedies like energy exercise, herbal therapies, body work, and improving diet and lifestyle influences. Each treatment is tailored to the person’s specific needs, taking into account mental, spiritual and physical factors.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine continue to rise in popularity in general, and for conditions like arthritis specifically. Many patients find long-term relief with typically no negative side effects found in many conventional medications. In fact, because Chinese medicine takes a whole body approach to healing, many patients notice an overall improvement in their health and well being after seeking treatment for one ailment.

With growing support from the Western medical community and patient satisfaction, acupuncture and traditional Chinese techniques are becoming increasingly more integrated into conventional medicine. Researchers are finally beginning to understand how acupuncture works in the body to effectively heal disease.

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