acupucnture

I practice both evidence based and an age-proven treatment. Acupuncture has become a popular technique used by many different and diverse people. 

How  Does Acupuncture Affect The Body?

Acupuncture points are believed to stimulate the central nervous system. This, in turn, releases chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These biochemical changes may influence the body's natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.

Research has demonstrated the many benefits for many human physiological systems:

• the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
• blood pressure
• hormone levels
• the brain
• pain receptors
• the immune system
• cardiovascular function 

Acupuncture is not simply the insertion of needles into painful muscles.

Traditional acupuncture is an extensive medical system that has developed over thousands of years, with multiple schools of thought, theoretical frameworks and clinical approaches. Depending on the practitioner’s training, acupuncture may involve classical meridian and channel systems, Five Element theory, constitutional approaches, scalp acupuncture, abdominal acupuncture, hand acupuncture, electroacupuncture, cosmetic acupuncture and many other specialised systems.

There are also sophisticated microsystems and treatment methods within acupuncture that demonstrate just how broad the field really is.

One of the most important differences in acupuncture is the use of distal points.

An acupuncturist does not necessarily need to place a needle directly into the painful area to influence that pain.

For example, a patient may present with shoulder pain, yet the practitioner may select points on the arm, hand, leg, foot or even elsewhere on the body, depending on the acupuncture system and diagnostic approach being used.

This is not simply a matter of avoiding the painful area. The selection of distal points can be based on relationships between acupuncture channels, meridians, body regions and specific treatment systems.

In some acupuncture methods, a practitioner may even insert a small number of needles at distal points and observe a change in the patient's movement or pain before deciding whether additional treatment is necessary.

This is one of the reasons acupuncture cannot be reduced to the concept of:

“Find the painful muscle → put needles into it → release the muscle.”

That is only one possible approach to needling.

Another common misconception is that more needles must mean a stronger or more effective treatment. This is not necessarily the case.

In acupuncture, the number of needles is not the primary measure of the quality of treatment. A skilled practitioner may use several needles, but they may also deliberately use only a few carefully selected points. Sometimes, less is more.

The objective is not to insert as many needles as possible. The objective is to select the right points for the individual patient and the treatment strategy being used.

A practitioner might use one or two distal points to address a particular complaint, a small number of points from a microsystem such as the ear, or a carefully selected combination of local and distal points.

The treatment is therefore based on point selection, clinical reasoning and therapeutic strategy, rather than needle quantity.

Auricular acupuncture is another example of how different acupuncture systems can approach the body.

Rather than treating only the local area of pain, the ear is used as a microsystem through which different parts and functions of the body may be addressed.

Modern auricular acupuncture has developed into several distinct approaches, including French, Chinese and German schools, as well as specialised systems such as Battlefield Acupuncture.

A patient with pain in one part of the body may therefore receive treatment through carefully selected points on the ear rather than having needles inserted directly into the painful region.

Auricular acupuncture is only one example of microsystem acupuncture.

Other approaches include:

• Scalp acupuncture
• Hand acupuncture
• Foot acupuncture
• Abdominal acupuncture
• Face acupuncture
• Other specialised microsystems

These systems demonstrate that acupuncture is not dependent on placing needles directly into the site of pain.

Acupuncture is a broad field containing multiple schools of thought, traditional theories, modern clinical approaches, distal treatment methods and specialised microsystems.

It can involve treating locally or from a distance, using many needles or only a few, treating the body or treating a microsystem such as the ear or scalp.

The needle is only the tool.

The real depth of acupuncture lies in the knowledge behind how, where, why and when that needle is used.

And sometimes, the most sophisticated acupuncture treatment is not the one with the most needles — it is the one where the practitioner knows exactly which few needles are needed.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

More reading on Acupuncture can be view from the links below:

(Acupuncture Effect and Central Autonomic Regulation)

How Acupuncture Treats Cancer Pain: Biological Mechanisms

(https://www.evidencebasedacupuncture.org/acupuncture-cancer-pain/)

Acupuncture’s mechanisms for treating cancer pain are thought to be similar to those for treating other painful conditions, whether the pain is categorised as acute or chronic.

These mechanisms have been researched extensively for over 60 years, and while there is still much left to learn about acupuncture mechanisms and the human body in general, the neural pathways from acupuncture point stimulation to the spinal cord and then to the deactivation of the pain centres in the brain have been mapped.8 9 Acupuncture has been demonstrated to activate a number of the body’s own opioids as well as improve the brain’s sensitivity to opioids.10 A number of other biochemicals involved in pain reduction have been found to be released and regulated by acupuncture stimulation, including ATP, adenosine, GABA and substance P.11 Acupuncture has also been demonstrated to reduce activity in the parts of the brain associated with the perception of pain and increase activity in brain areas associated with improved self-regulation.12

Refer to a study on the review and analysis on controlled clinical trials of diseases and disorders that can be treated with acupuncture Published by World Health Organization. 

What Can Acupuncture Treat ?

The World Health Organisation recognises acupuncture as an effective treatment for wide variety of problems, including the following conditions:

• Digestive Disorders – such as IBS, constipation, reflux, indigestion.
• Women’s Health Issues – such as menstrual cycle problems, hormonal problems, painful and irregular periods, menopausal symptoms, PCOS, fibroids and infertility.
• Men’s Health Issues – such as hormone problems, enlarged prostate, poor erectile function and fertility issues.
• Fertility and Pregnancy
• Headaches and Migraines
• Skin Conditions – such as eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and acne
• Musculoskeletal Problems – such as back and neck pain, frozen shoulder, strains, sprains, tennis elbow and fibromyalgia
• Arthritic Problems such as the pain and restricted movement of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other types of rheumatism
• Fatigue
• Sleep Problems – such as insomnia and night sweats
• Allergies, Hay fever and Sinusitis
• Common Cold and Flu
• Respiratory Problems – such as asthma, bronchitis and chronic cough
• Tonsillitis
• Cancer Support – to help reduce the side-effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, improve immune health and enhance recovery.
• Stress and stress-related problems
• Anxiety and Depression
• General Wellbeing – regular acupuncture is excellent to help maintain wellness and to take a preventative approach to your health.