Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture - The Best Form of Preventive Medicine

Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture are first and foremost a preventive type of medicine. But in our Western culture we don't go to see our doctor until we are sick. I am yet to meet anyone that says to me, "I don't feel well, I am going to see my acupuncturist". What we usually get at our clinic are people that have tried everything else and nothing has helped. And now they are willing to try anything, even Acupuncture. I am not complaining, I get to prove how well Acupuncture and Chinese medicine work when I treat someone with a complicated condition, that even Western medicine has not been able to help. But a common comment I hear from my patients is, " I wish I had known that Acupuncture and Chinese medicine could have helped my condition, before it got so bad...."

It is lack of information that makes people wait until it is to late to prevent disease. We are not in tune with our own bodies, and we pay dearly for it. I believe that the way Chinese medicine looks at health can help give us a better hold on the prevention aspects of Medicine.

In Chinese Medicine health is described as the free, harmonious movement of Qi (pronounced Chee). This system of describing health is one of the first things a Chinese Doctor learns. And it can help you determine if there is a need for medical treatment with acupuncture, herbs, massage or conventional medicine.

For thousands of years, doctors of Chinese medicine have diagnosed health problems without the use of Western medical technology by simply watching and listening for the signs of Qi imbalance. Regardless of what your condition is called, in Chinese Medicine we concentrate in the overall condition your vital energy. We call that energy Qi. The Qi energy in a healthy individual is ample, strong and harmonious. When qi energy is stagnated and/or deficient the individual is more prone to disease. There are of course many symptoms that are not mentioned here, but the purpose of this short list is to make the reader aware of the warning signs. If you respond quickly, you can resolve minor health challenges before they became major illnesses.

Signs of Harmonious Qi

• Little or no pain
• Normal body temperature
• Normal pulse rate and volume
• Pink tongue
• Feeling rested
• Good stamina
• Productive
• Creative
• Energetic
• Humorous
• Happy/peaceful
• Imaginative, curious

If you have six or seven of these qualities you have ample Qi. Ample Qi can help improve the imbalances found on the next list:

Signs of Deficiency or Stagnation of Qi

• Fatigue
• Stress
• Pain----joints, head, neck, back
• Digestive and bowel problems
• Anger, fear, worry, panic
• Sickness and disease
• Frequent colds and flu
• Sexual or menstrual difficulties
• Lung disorders
• Allergies
• Overly emotional states
• Forgetfulness
• Depression, lethargy
• Anxiety, restlessness
• Frustration, violence
• Laziness, procrastination
• Difficulty regulating body temperature
• Sleeplessness
• Red, pale, or coated tongue
• Slow, fast, weak, or erratic pulse

Almost everyone exhibits one or two signs of Qi deficiency and stagnation even relatively healthy people, but in those cases a good nights sleep, a change in ones diet, or an occasional acupuncture treatment is enough to bring balance back into the persons energy.

If you express three or four of these symptoms a minor change is not sufficient any longer, you are a good candidate for Chinese herbal supplements and acupuncture. If you have five or more of the signs on the second list you need to be evaluated by a health care professional, and you definitely need acupuncture and Chinese herbs supplements.

If you have six or seven signs of harmonious Qi and three or four signs of deficiency and stagnation, you are fortunate. Most people with that many signs of deficiency and stagnation don't have many signs of harmonious Qi. The time to improve is now while your vital energy is strong.

The foundation of Chinese medicine is health improvement rather than disease curing. In Chinese culture the concept of utilizing medicine for longevity and personal optimization has held equal weight with the use of medicine for the treatment of disease. Because they enhance inner harmony and balance, such practices as acupuncture and herbal medicine can be used equally for preventive health care as well as for disease treatment. If you are suffering form a disease acupuncture and Chinese herb can help with your condition by strengthening your body. But if you are interested in prevention these are signs are invaluable for keeping yourself healthy and strong.

Roberto G. Guerrero

What are the Benefits of Acupuncture ?

Acupuncture is one of the oldest, most commonly used medical procedures in the world. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical technique. It is also called Oriental medicine. Acupuncture scientific name is paradigm. Each meridian corresponds to one organ, or group of organs, that governs particular bodily functions. Acupuncture is thought to restore health by removing energy imbalances and blockages in the body. Acupuncture is the practice of inserting thin needles into specific body points to improve health and well-being. Acupuncture originated in China more than 2,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest and most commonly used medical procedures in the world. It is widely used in both private and NHS settings. Acupuncture is a family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical locations on or in the skin by a variety of techniques. Traditional Chinese medicine is not based on knowledge of modern physiology, biochemistry, nutrition, anatomy, or any of the known mechanisms of healing. Acupuncture's record of success has stimulated a number of research projects investigating its mechanisms as well as its efficacy. It's commonly used to treat pain, relieve common ailments and promote general health. There is a growing body of research evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture, especially to treat nausea (particularly postoperative), dental problems and low back pain. Acupuncture has been shown to induce reproducible patterns of neural activity in a wide variety of brainstem, midbrain and cerebral cortical structures.There is sufficient evidence, however, of acupuncture's value to expand its use into conventional medicine and to encourage further studies of its physiology and clinical value.

Acupuncturists believe it regulates the flow of ‘vital energy’, known as ‘Qi’ (pronounced ‘chee’). The most frequently offered defense of acupuncture by its defenders commits the pragmatic fallacy. The effects of acupuncture are complex. Acupuncture needles are metallic, solid, and hair-thin. People experience acupuncture differently, but most feel no or minimal pain as the needles are inserted. Some people are energized by treatment, while others feel relaxed. Improper needle placement, movement of the patient, or a defect in the needle can cause soreness and pain during treatment. This is why it is important to seek treatment from a qualified acupuncture practitioner. Acupuncture is also thought to decrease pain by increasing the release of chemicals that block pain, called endorphins. Many acu-points are near nerves. When stimulated, these nerves cause a dull ache or feeling of fullness in the muscle. The stimulated muscle sends a message to the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord), causing the release of endorphins (morphine-like chemicals produced in our own bodies during times of pain or stress). Endorphins, along with other neurotransmitters (body chemicals that modify nerve impulses), block the message of pain from being delivered up to the brain. Some of the biological effects of acupuncture have also been observed when "sham" acupuncture points are stimulated, highlighting the importance of defining appropriate control groups in assessing biological changes purported to be due to acupuncture.

Acupuncture is one of the CAM therapies that are more commonly covered by insurance. Acupuncture points are thought to correspond to physiological and anatomical features such as peripheral nerve junctions, and diagnosis is made in purely conventional terms. There are several different approaches to acupuncture. Among the most common in the United States today Acupuncture points employs penetration of the skin by thin, solid, metallic needles, which are manipulated manually or by electrical stimulation. The most common serious injury reported from the needles of acupuncture has been accidental puncture of the lung. The most common infection reported from acupuncture treatments is viral hepatitis, a potentially serious infection of the liver. Other side effects include bacterial infections locally at the site of needle insertion in the skin and elsewhere in the body. Generally, side effects seem to relate to poor hygiene and training of the acupuncturist. Acupuncture as a therapeutic intervention is widely practiced in the United States. There have been many studies of its potential usefulness. However, many of these studies provide equivocal results because of design, sample size, and other factors. The issue is further complicated by inherent difficulties in the use of appropriate controls, such as placebo and sham acupuncture groups. There are other situations such as addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma where acupuncture may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative or be included in a comprehensive management program.

Juliet Cohen