1 What can be treated with Acupuncture?
Acupuncture has both preventive and curative effects. In China, the population was educated to consult a doctor at the beginning of each season. They didn't wait to get sick to see a doctor. It would be beneficial for us in the West, to adopt a similar approach.
Chinese medicine can also cure illness even after it has become apparent. It goes without saying that it is much easier for an organism to rid itself of the problem at the onset. Here is a list of basic health problems where Acupuncture proves most successful:
Digestive System-ulcers, stomach pains in general, lack of appetite, excessive appetite, hiccups, difficulty swallowing, intestinal colic, colitis, intestinal irritations, intestinal problems, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal distention, hemorrhoids, gall-bladder and liver problems, vomiting, dyspepsia, etc.
Respiratory system: asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, laryngitis, sinusitis, cough, cold, influenza, difficult breathing, rhinitis, etc.
Circulatory system: numbness, cold limbs, shivers, swellings, edema, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, primary and secondary circulatory condition, arterio-sclerosis, etc.
Urinary system: prostate troubles, involuntary loss of urine, difficulty urinating, burning while urinating, cystitis,kidney and bladder stones, etc.
Reproductive system:
vaginitis, painful or irregular menstruation, lack of menstruation, profuse menstruation, mononucleosis, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, multiple frigidity, menopause problems, libido troubles, genital troubles, infertility, masculine impotence, orchitis, etc.
Auditory system: some cases of deafness, humming in the ears, Meuniere syndrome, earaches, ear infections, etc.
Eye System: Vision troubles, conjunctivitis, some loss of vision, dizziness, cataracts, glaucoma, dark spots. etc
Locomotor system: traumatism, sports accidents, muscular pain, certain paralysis, certain trophies, and muscular dystrophy, etc.
Neuro-vegetative system: irritability, anxiety, insomnia, stammering, nervous tics, phobias, depressions, general fatigue, obsessions, nightmare, bulimia, giddiness, trembling, loss of equilibrium, psychiatric troubles, etc.
Cutaneous system: eczema, shingles, boils, dermatitis, itching, acne, nettle-rash, athlete's foot, etc.
Allergies: hay fever, food allergies, other allergies, etc.
Treatment of pain: arthritis, rheumatism, stiff neck, headaches, sciatica, lumbago, muscle pains, cervical pains, migraines, sport accidents, pains in the joints, epicondylitis, tennis elbow, cramps, sprains, bruises, neuralgia of trigeminal nerves, facial neuralgia, general pains, etc.
​Treatment of certain illnesses: Acupuncture can help
considerably in the following cases: diabetes, arterio sclerosis, cholesterol, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, anemia, mononucleosis, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, ataxia, myelitis.
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2 How is the treatment of Acupuncture given?
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An acupuncturist inserts very fine needles into precisely defined points of the human body. These points are situated on the currents which are called meridians. The needles inserted in these points have a therapeutic effect as they reestablish the circulation of electrical energy. The needles are left in for a few seconds to several minutes. A competent acupuncturist knows how long the needles should stay inserted for the desired effect to take place. In general, the total duration of treatment can vary from 20 minutes to one hour.
In certain cases, an acupuncturist will connect the needles to an electrical stimulator which will send very weak pulsations to the needles. This technique causes stronger stimulation and has proved very effective particularly in the treatment of pain. Instruments that are used in this procedure are very safe and do not represent any danger to the patient.
Recently the laser has made its appearance in the world of acupuncture. This instrument transmits weak rays very
differently from those used by medical surgery. In certain cases, the laser produces comparable effects to needles. Many children prefer this to needles, which they sometimes fear. Besides, needles are rarely used for young children. For them, the energy circulates very superficially and the massage of acupuncture points, as well as the utilization of special instruments for children, proves to be sufficient for the most part.
Sometimes an acupuncturist will warm up certain acupuncture points using heated Artemisia leaves. Massage is another technique frequently used by an acupuncturist. This method differs widely from the Swedish, Shiatsu or relaxation massage. Chinese medicine uses a massage system that consists of massaging certain acupuncture points and meridians. Such massage is purely therapeutic and only a competent acupuncturist can perform it effectively.
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3. Is any special preparation required before a treatment?
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There are certain common recommendations that should be followed before receiving Acupuncture treatment. To fully benefit from the treatment, one should be rested, clean, not too hungry, or have just finished a heavy meal. The most important advice, however, is to avoid any excess anger. A patient should not take drugs or consume alcohol prior to treatment.
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4. How does one feel after an Acupuncture treatment?
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Most of the time, the patient feels relaxed and rested. Since the energies are now balanced, a person can only feel well. If the treatment received was done to eliminate pain, this pain is often lessened or gone. One should not, however, go to any excess in trying to test the effectiveness of the treatment. This refers to all kinds of treatments. A patient having just received treatment for digestive problems wanted to eat "chips and coke" to see if the treatment was beneficial. It's not surprising to point out that she suffered from indigestion since she hadn't been able to eat these foods for many years. If possible, one should avoid any excessive physical effort after the treatment. Don't forget that it is your own body that does the healing; the acupuncturist is there only to reestablish your energy. Work together with your acupuncturist, scrupulously follow his advice, and the state of your health will improve rapidly.
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5. What is an Acupuncture needle?
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An Acupuncture needle is a needle especially made for the treatment of acupuncture. It is made of stainless steel of very good quality. Its diameter is approximately 20 hundreds of a millimeter; thus hardly bigger than a hair. These needles are specially sharpened to penetrate the skin easily so as not to cause pain. On the top of the needle, there is a metal thickening to facilitate handling. The needles are solid, like sewing needles; they are not hollow as those used for injections. Moreover, an acupuncture needle is so fine it can easily be inserted inside an injection needle. Acupuncture needles are carefully sterilized after each use. Thus they do not represent any danger of transmitting illness or infection. For several years now some acupuncturists have been offering disposable needles to their patients. These needles are used for one patient only and a nominal sum is requested.
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6. Can one get infected with AIDS through Acupuncture needles?
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Undoubtedly, the appearance of the AIDS virus has created a lot of fear. However, a serious and responsible acupuncturist will not take the risk of propagating this illness. He will take all the necessary precautions to avoid an accident. The AIDS virus can certainly be transmitted through acupuncture needles if they are not sterilized. Nevertheless, very efficient and foolproof means are available to acupuncturists to avoid this danger. Ask your acupuncturist if he sterilizes the needles in the approved sterilizer. Alcohol may be sufficient to destroy the AIDS virus but is not sufficient to destroy the viral Hepatitis B virus. Be cautious when choosing your acupuncturist. Here we use new disposable needles for treatments.
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7. Do the needles hurt?
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No, the acupuncture needles are so fine and sharpened in such a way as to penetrate the skin without causing pain. Many acupuncturists use a special technique which consists of inserting the needle very quickly with the help of a special instrument. It checks the pain, and most of the time patients don't even notice that the needle is already in place.
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8. How many treatments are needed to obtain results?
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The number of treatments depends upon the seriousness of the disease, its evolution, duration and the vitality of the patient. In acute cases, what's needed, generally speaking, is one or two sessions a week for the first week. Later the treatments may be farther apart. In most of the cases, five to ten treatments are sufficient to obtain satisfactory results. We should note here that we are talking in a general sense only. Only a conscientious acupuncturist will be able to tell you how many treatments you will need in your particular case. Above all, do not try to spread out your treatments if your acupuncturist does not agree. He knows how frequently you should receive your treatments so that they are most`' effective. in any case nothing would be gained, as more treatments are needed if they are spread too far apart.
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9. is it necessary to believe in Acupuncture to obtain results?
No, Acupuncture has a real effect and belief has nothing to do with its effectiveness. Acupuncture practiced on animals produces excellent results; yet we can't talk of belief in this case. Scientific experiments demonstrate clearly that Acupuncture has real influence on an organism and its effect is not related to auto-suggestion.
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10. What theory is Acupuncture based on?
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The Chinese (the great observers) discovered there are electrical currents traveling through a human body. They found out that these currents were related to the internal organs of the body. Through observation, they realized that by heating (warming up) and/or pricking certain parts of the body with a very fine needle, beneficial effects were obtained which helped overcome sickness or pain. Thus the Chinese have established a very precise, medical art which is continually developing.
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11. What is Acupuncture
Acupuncture forms a system of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is composed of Moxibustion (heating the needles or the skin directly), Pharmacopoeia, Massage and Gymnastics (Tai Chi). Acupuncture (from the Latin acu: point or needle, and puncture: puncture) is a science and art which aims to balance vital energies of the bodily organs. The basic art and science consists of inserting very fine needles in certain precisely defined points of the human body. We use these needles to stimulate and direct its vital energies. These energies, according to the Chinese, form an essential element of one's health. The appearance of illness indicates that an organism has become deficient and cannot supply the attached internal organ with the energy necessary for its proper functioning. Stimulating certain points through slight puncturing of the skin allows the organism to naturally redistribute the energy which was in disorder. One of the most important characteristics of Acupuncture is that it considers a human being as a living unity - that is it does not separate a body from its spirit.
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12. Where does Acupuncture originate?
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The first theoretical Chinese work on Acupuncture goes back to approximately 2,500 years B.C. Since then there have been countless publications on the subject. In the XVII century French missionaries discovered acupuncture in China. European doctors started to publish documents on Acupuncture in the 1850's. At the beginning of the last century, Soulie de Morant, at the time the consul of France in China, became particularly interested in Acupuncture. He translated into Fren4 major works on Chinese Medicine. These translations i'aised high intel'est in Europe and many scientists commenced serious research on the subject. Acupuncture spread in Europe and met with enormous successIn America, Acupuncture made its appearance in the 1970's. An American journalist while visiting China had to undergo surgery; the doctors used Acupuncture as an analgesic in this successful operation. That was enough for the journalists to highlight the event and soon all America was talking about it. Many acupuncturists were trained and the results of their treatments were fantastic. Since then, Acupuncture hasn't stopped gaining popularity. Now this form of medical treatment offers us in the West a valuable alternative to alleviate our pain and cure our illness.
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