General Health

Lately, acupuncture has been known as one of traditional medicine system. It was found by Fu Shi, who lived about 5.000 years ago. He believed that basically, human body consists of two energies: Yin and Yang. A loss of balance between Yin and Yang energies homeostasis among the several systems of function was understood as disease. 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.

Chinese medical theory holds that there are four diagnostic methods used in acupuncture: inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiring, and palpation. Most modern acupuncturists use disposable stainless steel needles of fine diameter (0.007″ to 0.020″, 0.18 mm to 0.51 mm), sterilized with ethylene oxide or by autoclave. Evidence-based medicine shows, there is good evidence that acupuncture is effective in treating nausea and chronic low back pain, and moderate evidence for neck pain and headache.

According to the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (2004), acupuncture may be considered as a complementary therapy for these conditions:

• Abdominal distention/flatulence
• Acute and chronic pain control
• Allergic sinusitis
• Anesthesia for high-risk patients or patients with previous adverse responses to anesthetics
• Anorexia
• Anxiety, fright, panic
• Arthritis/arthrosis
• Atypical chest pain (negative workup)
• Bursitis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome
• Certain functional gastrointestinal disorders (nausea and vomiting, esophageal spasm, hyperacidity, irritable bowel)
• Cervical and lumbar spine syndromes
• Constipation, diarrhea
• Cough with contraindications for narcotics
• Drug detoxification
• Dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain
• Frozen shoulder
• Headache (migraine and tension-type), vertigo (Meniere disease), tinnitus
• Idiopathic palpitations, sinus tachycardia
• In fractures, assisting in pain control, edema, and enhancing healing process
• Muscle spasms, tremors, tics, contractures
• Neuralgias (trigeminal, herpes zoster, post-herpetic pain, other)
• Paresthesias
• Persistent hiccups
• Phantom pain
• Plantar fasciitis
• Post-traumatic and post-operative ileus
• Selected dermatoses (urticaria, pruritus, eczema, psoriasis)
• Sequelae of stroke syndrome (aphasia, hemiplegia)
• Seventh nerve palsy
• Severe hyperthermia
• Sprains and contusions
• Temporo-mandibular joint derangement, bruxism
• Urinary incontinence, retention (neurogenic, spastic, adverse drug effect)

Nevertheless, we have to consider the general agreement that acupuncture is at least safe when administered by well-trained practitioners, since there are many risks of injury from the insertion of acupuncture needles. If it is used according to established safety rules and carefully at appropriate anatomic regions, it is a safe treatment method. Anybody would like to try? ;-)

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