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Acupuncture |
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Will Acupuncture hurt?
The short answer to this is no. Acupuncture can be a little uncomfortable but it is not painful.
Treatment is the process of re establishing the energy balance. Very fine needles are inserted into various acupuncture points on the body for a short period of time. This causes a stimulation or sedation of the energy in a specific pathway. The other method is the application of warmth to the acupuncture point and this method is often used in combination.
You may need several acupuncture treatments in order to help your condition. A large number of people feel relief from their symptoms after the first treatment. This relief will usually be short lived in the first instance, however relief should progressively increase in quantity as the treatment progresses. In some instances you may not feel relief until the second or third treatment.
The total number of treatments will depend upon the patient and the condition being treated, and will average between four and eight sessions for most conditions.
In general if there is no symptom relief in the first few sessions then acupuncture probably will not work.
Side effects
The beauty of acupuncture is that there are very few side effects. Occasionally you may experience a transitory worsening of symptoms following treatment. This will soon pass and it usually means that the acupuncture will work.
How long will acupuncture last?
The improvement may be permanent or temporary. For conditions such as arthritis acupuncture may need to be repeated every few months to keep the person pain free.
Will acupuncture work for me?
Acupuncture works in many conditions, and some respond better than others. Whether you believe in acupuncture or not seems to make no difference to the response to treatment. Most people will gain some benefit from acupuncture.
If you are interested in receiving acupuncture treatment then please discuss your specific problem with your own GP as well as your acupuncture practitioner.
A fee may be charged if an appointment is broken or cancelled without 24 hours notice.
Is it safe?
When practiced by a licensed, trained acupuncturist, acupuncture is extremely safe. As a system of health care, acupuncture already has some inherent safeguards. Because the treatment is drug-free, patients do not have to worry about taking several doses of a medication or suffering a possible adverse reaction.
Properly administered, acupuncture does no harm. However, there are certain conditions you should notify an acupuncturist about before undergoing treatment. If you have a pacemaker, for instance, you should not receive electroacupuncture due to the possibility of electromagnetic interference with the pacemaker. Similarly, if you have a tendency to bleed or bruise easily, or if you are a hemophiliac, you may want to consider a different type of care.
What conditions does it treat?
In the late 1970s, the World Health Organization recognized the ability of acupuncture and Oriental medicine to treat nearly four dozen common ailments, including neuromusculoskeletal conditions (such as arthritis, neuralgia, insomnia, dizziness, and neck/shoulder pain); emotional and psychological disorders (such as depression and anxiety); circulatory disorders (such as hypertension, angina pectoris, arteriosclerosis and anemia); addictions to alcohol, nicotine and other drugs; respiratory disorders (such as emphysema, sinusitis, allergies and bronchitis); and gastrointestinal conditions (such as food allergies, ulcers, chronic diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, intestinal weakness, anorexia and gastritis).
In 1997, a consensus statement released by the National Institutes of Health found that acupuncture could be useful by itself or in combination with other therapies to treat addiction, headaches, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and asthma.
Other studies have demonstrated that acupuncture may help in the rehabilitation of stroke patients and can relieve nausea in patients recovering from surgery.
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Electroacupuncture |
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Does electroacupuncture hurt?
Patients may experience a tingling sensation while being treated with electroacupuncture, which is most likely due to the electric current. In most cases, however, the effect produced by the current is subsational; in other words, the tingling sensation will not be felt. Some minor bruising or bleeding may occur, which is the result of a needle touching small blood vessels.
Are there any risks involved?
Electroacupuncture should not be used on patients who have a history of seizures, epilepsy, heart disease or strokes, or on patients with pacemakers.
It should also not be performed on a patient's head or throat, or directly over the heart. Another recommendation is that when needles are being connected to an electric current, the current should not travel across the midline of the body (an imaginary line running from the bridge of the nose to the bellybutton).
What conditions does it treat?
Before trying electroacupuncture patients should make sure to discuss the potential risks and benefits with their practitioner.
Electroacupuncture is considered to be especially useful for conditions in which there is an accumulation of qi, such as in chronic pain syndromes, or in cases where the qi is difficult to stimulate. It has been effectively used as a form of anesthesia; as a pain reliever for muscle spasms; and a treatment for neurological disorders.
Other studies have examined the role of electroacupuncture in treating skin conditions such as acne, renal colic, and acute nausea caused by cancer medications. There is also some evidence that electrical stimulation of acupuncture points activates the endorphin system, which could lower blood pressure and reduce heart disease.
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Cupping |
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Is cupping safe? Does it hurt?
While cupping is considered relatively safe (especially air cupping, which does not include the risk of fire and heat), it can cause some swelling and bruising on the skin. As the skin under a cup is drawn up the blood vessels at the surface of the skin expand. This may result in small, circular bruises on the areas where the cups were applied. These bruises are usually painless, however, and disappear within a few days of treatment.
In addition, there are several instances where cupping should not be performed. Patients with inflamed skin; cases of high fever or convulsions; and patients who bleed easily are not suitable candidates for cupping. Pregnant women should not have cupping on their stomach or lower back. If the cups are moved they should not cross bony areas such as the ridges of the spine or the shoulder blades.
What conditions does it treat?
Cupping is used primarily to treat respiratory conditions such as bronchitis, asthma, and congestion; arthritis; gastrointestinal disorders; and certain types of pain. Some practitioners also use cupping to treat depression and reduce swelling.
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Moxibustion |
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Why do acupuncturists use mugwort? Why not use some other herb?
Mugwort, also known as artemesia vulgaris or ai ye in Chinese, has a long history of use in folk medicine. Research has shown that it acts as an emmenagogue that is, an agent that increases blood circulation to the pelvic area and uterus and stimulates menstruation. This could explain its use in treating breech births and menstrual cramps.
Are there any precautions I should be aware of?
Although moxibustion has been safely used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, it is not for everyone. Because it is used specifically for patients suffering from cold or stagnant constitutions, it should not be used on anyone diagnosed with too much heat. Burning moxa also produces a great deal of smoke and a pungent odor. Patients with respiratory problems may request that their practitioner use smokeless moxa sticks as an alternative.
What conditions does it treat?
In traditional Chinese medicine, moxibustion is used on people who have a cold or stagnant condition. The burning of moxa is believed to expel cold and warm the meridians, which leads to smoother flow of blood and Qi. In Western medicine, moxibustion has successfully been used to turn breech babies into a normal head-down position prior to childbirth. Other studies have shown that moxibustion increases the movement of the foetus in pregnant women, and may reduce the symptoms of menstrual cramps when used in conjunction with traditional acupuncture.
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Ultrasound |
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How does it work?
The healing response is directly proportional to the input of ultrasonic energy and is somewhat dependent on ultrasonic frequency. These are highly variable and, although proven to be effective in many case studies, is being continually refined through newer studies designed to measure the effects of time, frequency and intensity of applications on various body structures and conditions affecting them.
For soft tissue healing, ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves, well beyond the range of human hearing, which cause molecules in the tissues to vibrate, producing heat and mechanical energy.
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