Acupuncture is an alternative medicine methodology originating in ancient China and has a history of over 3,000 years. Acupuncture utilizes fine solid needles made of metal, usually steel but sometimes gold or silver needles, to treat various sicknesses by inserting them through the skin into one or several points of the body. The needles will remain in a static state or be manipulated according to the healing principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Sometimes, mostly to treat a pain condition, needles will be connected with low DC currents to apply for a stronger stimulation. The needles will be withdrawn about twenty to thirty minutes later to complete a treatment. During treatment patient is asked to relax and maintain to a stable posture. He or she might breathe calmly and lightly during the needling. The treatment is so comfortable many patients fall into sleep during treatment.
Current scientific research indicates that traditional forms of acupuncture are more effective than placebos in the relief of certain types of pain, functional disturbance, and post-operative nausea.
The use of acupuncture for certain conditions has been endorsed by the World Health Organization, United States National Institutes of Health, the National Health Service of the UK, and National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Acupuncture can resolve a lot of problems and conditions. Researches have demonstrated that many diseases of which not have been cured or helped by the traditional method of treatment would be benefited by acupuncture. World Health Organization had been provided a long list of diseases to which can treated by acupuncture. Basely, sicknesses helped by acupuncture can be categorized into:
1. Pain syndrome: All type of pain, including pain over the neck, the shoulder, the back, the hip, the knee, the ankle and even the cancer pain.
2. Headache, tension or migraine.
3. Injury: Sprain or strain of tendon or ligament, contusion.
4. Joint disturbance: Arthritis, TM joint syndrome, post-traumatic joint effusion, lumbago, sacroiliac joint pain, bursitis.
5. Organ disorders: Such as indigestion, constipation, chronic diarrhea, palpitation, chest compression, chronic cough, difficulty of urination, frequency of urination etc.
6. Psychological problems: Stress, anxiety, insomnia, nervousness, emotional unstable.
7. Neural disturbances: Bell’s palsy, trigerminal neuritis, shingle neuritis, Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), sciatica, brachial radiculitis, post-stroke paralysis.
8. Gynecological disturbances: Peri-menstrual syndrome (PMS), menopause, dryness of exogenital organ, painful menstruation.
9. Sexual problems: Fragility, non-organic infertility, impotence, impairment of sexual activity.
10. Allergy: Asthma, chronic cough, nasal sinusitis, dermatitis.
11. Smoking cessation.
12. Detoxification: Drug abuse, alcoholism.
