All You Need To About The Traditional Chinese Medicine: Acupuncture

What is Acupuncture?

As per traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force, known as chi. In contrast, many Western practitioners view the acupuncture points as places to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissues. [1]

When is Acupuncture recommended?

WHO (World Health Organization) listed down conditions for which acupuncture is recommended:

Diseases or conditions for which acupuncture has proven to be an effective treatment through various controlled trials are: Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, allergic rhinitis, biliary colic, depression, dysentery, acute bacillary, primary dysmenorrhoea, acute epigastralgia, various types of pain, headache, hypertension, primary hypotension, induction of labour, leukopenia, correction of malposition of fetus, morning sickness, nausea and vomiting, periarthritis of shoulder, renal colic, rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, stroke, tennis elbow.

Diseases, conditions or symptoms for which there are only individual controlled trials reporting some therapeutic effects, but for which acupuncture is worth trying as conventional treatment options are difficult: Chloasma, serious central choroidopathy, color blindness, deafness, hypophrenia, irritable colon syndrome, neuropathic bladder in spinal cord injury, chronic pulmonary heart disease, obstruction in small airway.

Preparing for Acupuncture
While preparing for acupuncture the patient is asked to lie down. The acupuncturist uses sterile needles which are inserted at appropriate points as needed. The needles are sometimes heated after insertion. In some cases, the needles are stimulated with electricity post insertion. After the needles are inserted, it is kept at bite point of insertion for between 5 to 30 minutes.

Understanding Acupuncture Results

Results of acupuncture are understood when symptoms which are representative of the ailment seem to decrease gradually.

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