Well, inserting a needle into the skin may sound dangerous, but it is part of Chinese medicine and – has been practiced for many years.
Acupuncture is a central pillar of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It involves inserting fine needles into specific points on the body, the acupuncture points.
Acupuncture is said to help against many complaints, partly healing, partly alleviating.
Read here when acupuncture might help, how the needles work against various ailments and how an acupuncture treatment works.
How does acupuncture work?
According to the understanding of TCM, disturbances in the energy flow can be eliminated by placing acupuncture needles: Blockages are thus released. This results in various mechanisms of action, for example:
- Pain relief
- Regulation of muscle tension
- Effect on the immune system
- influence on hormonal cycles
- decongestant effect
- effect on blood circulation
- effect on the vegetative nervous system
- Balancing effect in the psychological field
What exactly is behind the acupuncture effect according to scientific principles has not yet been clarified.
However, there are some hypotheses about the effectiveness of acupuncture:
- Through the stimulating stimulus of the needles, increased pain-relieving and mood-enhancing substances (endorphins) are released in the brain. These substances are also called “happiness hormones”.
- At the puncture site, the acupuncture needles release neurotransmitters, irritate the pain nerves, improve local blood circulation, and release other pain-relieving substances (opioids).
- Acupuncture needles can be used to stimulate so-called trigger points and thus relieve muscular and fascial hardening.
- The insertion of the needle at the acupuncture point activates so-called reflex arcs in the spinal cord, which inhibit pain, loosen muscles and relax organs (e.g. the stomach).
- The puncture activates a system called diffuse pain inhibition control. A pain stimulus in one place decreases pain sensitivity in another part of the body.
- The skin is connected to the brain and organs through an immense network of nerve fibers. Through the stimulus of the acupuncture needle, internal organs and body regions can thus be influenced.
What can acupuncture treat?
In recent years, various studies have provided evidence that acupuncture can help with a number of common complaints. Sometimes it works as well or even better than conventional therapies (medications, physiotherapy or massage). These include:
- Chronic headaches
- Chronic back pain
- Joint pain
- Hay fever
- Tennis elbow
- Menstrual cramps
- allergic asthma
- chronic spinal disorders
- nausea
- vomiting
- birth support
- sleep disorders
What is acupuncture?
Classical Chinese acupuncture was developed more than 2000 years ago. It is a central pillar of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This views man as a being whose life energy (Qi) results from the interaction of heaven (Yin) and earth (Yang). Only those who live in harmony with these laws can be physically and mentally healthy. Dysbalances and blockages disturb the energy flow and cause complaints.
The aim of acupuncture treatment is to influence the Qi. Qi flows through the body in channels called meridians. Along them lie 365 acupuncture points. By inserting acupuncture needles, the acupuncturist influences the energy flow of the corresponding meridian. This dissolves blockages. The flow of qi is accelerated or slowed down – depending on the need and the ailments to be treated.
Ear acupuncture
Ear acupuncture is a special form and is considered an independent method. It is based on the idea that the various organs of the body are assigned to specific regions of the ear. Therefore, the whole body can be influenced by the needles in the ear. The current form of ear acupuncture was developed in France in the 1950s.
How ear acupuncture works and for which complaints it is used, you can read in the text Ear acupuncture.
Cranial acupuncture
Yamamoto New Skull Acupuncture (YNSA) was developed a few years ago by a Japanese physician. Similar to ear acupuncture or foot reflexology, here the different areas of the body are to be represented by certain regions of the head. Here, too, needles are used to achieve corresponding reactions and to alleviate the complaints.
Dry needling
Dry needling, also known as trigger point dry needling and intramuscular stimulation, is a pseudoscientific technique used by various healthcare practitioners, including physical therapists, physicians, and chiropractors, among others.
Acupuncturists usually maintain that dry needling is adapted from acupuncture, but others consider dry needling as a variation of trigger point injections. It involves the use of either solid filiform needles or hollow-core hypodermic needles for therapy of muscle pain, including pain related to myofascial pain syndrome.
Dry needling is mainly used to treat myofascial trigger points, but it is also used to target connective tissue, neural ailments, and muscular ailments. The American Physical Therapy Association defines dry needling as a technique used to treat dysfunction of skeletal muscle and connective tissue, minimize pain, and improve or regulate structural or functional damage.
Acupuncture – special techniques
In addition to the classic needle technique, acupuncture points can also be influenced using other methods. These include
- Moxibustion, where the acupuncture points are additionally stimulated with heat.
- Laser acupuncture, where weak laser beams are used.
- The acupressure, where the points are stimulated by pressure or massaging.
- Electro-acupuncture, where current stimuli are used.
How does an acupuncture treatment proceed?
Before the acupuncture treatment, the acupuncturist will ask you in detail about your medical history. In addition, there is a physical examination, which includes both conventional medical and Chinese methods such as pulse and tongue diagnosis.
Based on the diagnosis made, the acupuncturist then selects the points and decides how often acupuncture should be performed. Generally, he estimates one to two treatment series of ten to twelve treatments each in one to two sessions weekly.
Lie down and relax
If possible, the treatment takes place while the patient is lying down, as the greatest possible relaxation is desired. Needling is done with sterile disposable needles, traditional treatment with reusable gold, silver or steel needles is rarely practiced in our clinic for hygienic reasons. The needles are 0.2 to 0.4 millimeters thick, one to ten centimeters long, and have a special cut so that the insertion can be made with little to no pain.
Ten to twenty needles
How deep the needle is inserted into the acupuncture point depends on the anatomical nature of the point. Sometimes the acupuncturist additionally stimulates the points by rotating the needle or applying a light current. Depending on the patient’s physical and mental condition, ten to twenty needles are placed. They remain in the skin for ten to thirty minutes.
Feeling of pressure, tingling, heat
After insertion, the patient experiences various sensations that are quite normal and indicate that the needles have been inserted correctly. Typical sensations are dull pressure, tingling, a slight feeling of numbness or heaviness, and heat or cold at the puncture site. All this is summarized under the term “De-Qi feeling”. Furthermore, one occasionally observes a kind of electrical tingling that spreads along the meridians and is called “conduction phenomenon”.
Risks of acupuncture
Acupuncture also carries risks. If the needles are placed incorrectly, it can be unpleasant for the patient – and in rare cases cause serious harm. Figures on how often acupuncture leads to discomfort are now provided by a study conducted by the British National Health Service.
According to the study, 325 cases of side effects were reported in the UK between 2009 and 2011. However, the study does not indicate how often needles were placed without causing discomfort.
Even though the incidents tended to be considered harmless, they were unpleasant. 160 patients suffered from dizziness when the needles were inserted, or they even lost consciousness for a short time.
In about 100 treatments, the acupuncturists forgot to remove the needles from the body again. In five cases, a lung collapsed. Acupuncturists should be prepared for significant damage from treatment, the study authors write.
Trusted Source
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/gesundheit/risiken-der-akupunktur-schwindelerregende-stiche-1.1462326
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hans/%E9%92%88%E7%81%B8
