Иглоукалывание: За и Против

Acupuncture therapy: indications for use

Acupuncture technique: how the procedure is performed

Acupuncture: main contraindications

What are the dangers of acupuncture

What are the benefits of acupuncture?

Acupuncture (acupressure) is a therapy that has a lot of controversial opinions among both ordinary people and medical professionals. It has both supporters and opponents. Some argue that the procedure is safe and effective, others, on the contrary, emphasize its danger to the body. But at the same time acupuncture is gaining popularity all over the world. Medical statistics of the USA shows that over 50% of patients who have one or another chronic pain, recent years have resorted to acupuncture. A similar trend is also observed in European countries, including Ukraine.

Now let’s dwell in more detail on what this procedure is, what indications and contraindications it has. We will highlight the main pros and cons of acupuncture, describe how the procedure is carried out and what side effects can be expected from it. This information will allow you to understand in more detail what acupuncture is, as well as to determine the possibility of its use in the treatment of their diseases.

Acupuncture: what kind of therapy it is

Acupuncture is a procedure that involves point impact on biologically active points (BAP) of the body using special thin needles. This technique comes from Oriental medicine. It is believed that there are over 1500 BAT points on the human body. Each of them is linked to anatomical structures of the body: blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, nerve endings, muscle tissues. Thanks to the point impact on them can be regulated complex hormonal and metabolic processes, thereby having a general positive impact on the body, curing various chronic pathologies.

Today acupuncture therapy is used by leading medical centers both for the treatment of diseases, and for their prevention, as well as at the stage of rehabilitation. Ancient Chinese healers believed that acupuncture allows to regulate the energy balance of the body, which will prevent the spread of disease, will have a beneficial effect on the restoration of health, will allow to lead an active full life without drugs.

Acupuncture therapy: indications for use

Modern medicine uses acupuncture for osteochondrosis, facial neuritis, low back pain, insomnia, blood pressure, and many other diseases and pathologies. This is a simple, fast and effective way of general recovery of the body. Among the indications for this therapy include:

• colds and all kinds of respiratory diseases, including acute bronchitis and asthma in adults;
• various diseases of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, including irritable bowel syndrome, constipation;
• neurological pathologies: acute lumbar, head, temporomandibular, pelvic pain, pain in the neck, shoulder, elbow, heel, sciatica, restless legs syndrome;
• cardiovascular disease, acute stroke or spasticity after stroke, high blood pressure;
• neurodermatitis, psoriasis, urticaria and other skin conditions;
• insomnia, depression, anxiety states, relief of schizophrenia attacks;
• back pain, pelvic pain in pregnancy, pain during childbirth, premenopausal and postmenopausal insomnia, hot flashes, etc.

Acupuncture for herniated discs is also actively used. It allows you to remove years of muscle clamps in different parts of the back, which is especially important for patients with sedentary work, those who lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Slimming with acupuncture has good practical evidence. In the course of acupuncture on the corresponding active points, a signal is transmitted to the brain, dampening appetite, cravings for sweet, fatty and unhealthy food. As a result, the process of natural weight loss is launched without harming the body.

In the United States, European countries are also actively used acupuncture from smoking. Here, needles are placed in the active points of the ear, which ultimately contributes to the removal of both physical and psychological dependence on nicotine. The patient gives up years of dependence easily and simply. The achieved effect lasts for an average of 3 months. This will be quite enough for nicotine residues to be naturally eliminated from the body, which will remove the craving for smoking.

Acupuncture technique: how the procedure is performed

The benefits of acupuncture have been repeatedly proven in practice. In addition, the procedure itself is painless and does not cause serious adverse reactions from the body. Treatment with acupuncture begins with a consultation with a specialist, familiarization with the clinical picture, symptoms. In some cases, additional clinical examinations may be prescribed, which will help to make the correct diagnosis. Based on the data obtained, the therapist develops a treatment concept individually for each patient. The optimal areas to be treated, the number of treatments and their duration are selected.

Acupuncture itself is performed in the following sequence:

1. The patient assumes a comfortable position, often lying down.
2. The doctor treats the treatment area with antiseptic solutions and inserts the needles into the corresponding biologically active points. Does acupuncture hurt? No, as the needles themselves are very thin and with professional guidance you can feel only minor discomfort: a slight tingling, tightening. Generally, 10 to 15 needles are inserted per treatment.
3. The duration of each procedure is approximately 20-30 minutes. During its course, the patient will feel relaxation, warmth.
4. After the time expires, the needles are removed, and the skin is again treated with antiseptic.
5. A few minutes of rest is recommended, after which the patient can go home.

This is how a classic acupuncture procedure works. Most patients do not feel any pain after acupuncture. There may be slight redness of the skin, which goes away on its own without requiring any medication.

Depending on the doctor’s prescription, other acupuncture techniques may be used to enhance the effect. Thus, electroacupuncture involves passing a weak current through the games and light stimulation. A similar effect is observed when using a laser. Only here the laser beam is replaced by needles. In some cases, auricular acupuncture will involve attaching needles not for 20 minutes, it is several days. All this is determined individually in each case.

The effect of acupuncture, how long will it take to manifest itself?

It is impossible to say unequivocally how many acupuncture treatments will be required until you experience a stable effect. It all depends on the pathology in question and the severity of its symptoms. If you feel acute pain, then relief will show itself after the first procedure, literally in a few minutes. You can almost immediately feel what acupuncture treatment gives.

With each subsequent time the effect will accumulate. Procedures for acute or chronic conditions should be done daily or every other day, a break of 4 days will lead to loss of effect.

Acupuncture: side effects

Are there any exacerbations after acupuncture or any negative reactions from the body? In general, this does not happen if the therapy is performed by a certified doctor who knows exactly what to do and how to do it. It is also very important to treat the place of needle insertion with antiseptics, use only sterile materials. In this way, you can prevent the entry of infection into the body.

Side effects of acupuncture include:

• soreness in the area of guidance, bruising or bleeding;
• feeling of fatigue;
• localized redness, slight swelling.

All these symptoms are temporary and go away on their own after a few minutes. Such complications after acupuncture as dizziness, loss of consciousness, nervous irritation are extremely rare in practice. They are often associated with the psycho-emotional state of the patient. But in any case, the more experienced the doctor, the safer and more effective the treatment will be for the patient.

Acupuncture: main contraindications

Like any other medical procedure, acupuncture has indications and contraindications. Thus, it is not recommended to perform it in the presence of the following pathologies:

• acute surgical pathology;
• diseases of any etiology requiring inpatient treatment;
• emergency conditions;
• all terminal or stage 4 diseases;
• infectious diseases in the acute phase, in particular tuberculosis;
• clotting disorders and other blood diseases;
• malignant neoplasms.

Mental illnesses are poorly treated because patients take many powerful drugs. Acupuncture is poorly combined with neuroleptics, tranquilizers, antidepressants. Of the side effects – a decrease in blood pressure in hypotensive patients.

There are also age restrictions. Children can do acupuncture from 1 year old, before that acupressure of the same points; elderly people after 75 years – depending on the state of health.

With caution, this procedure is carried out with pregnant women, patients suffering from alcohol addiction. If there are skin injuries, then in this place needles are not installed. Also, the doctor avoids places near papillomas, moles.

To minimize negative reactions after procedures, for the duration of treatment it is recommended to reduce the intensity of exercise, do not take hot baths, do not visit baths, saunas, try to exclude the intake of spicy food.

What are the dangers of acupuncture

Now that you know what the procedure is, how useful acupuncture is and what contraindications it has, let’s move on to familiarizing ourselves with the potential dangers. We have already said that the reason for all the risks attributed to acupuncture is directly related to the poor qualifications of the doctor, lack of proper knowledge. See for yourself:

1. Incorrect selection of bioactive points will result in low efficiency of the procedures. As a result, valuable time may be lost, the disease may be neglected, and the general condition may worsen. Moreover, there are points on the human body, in which it is forbidden to lead needles at all. And about them must necessarily know the doctor.
2. Incompetent diagnosis. Incorrectly diagnosed diagnosis is fraught with the same negative consequences as errors in the choice of bioactive points. As long as they treat a nonexistent disease, the real one will progress.
3. The use of non-sterile needles. Allow such a thing will not be able to any competent doctor and self-respecting clinic. In its majority today, disposable needles are used, which are printed at the patient immediately before the procedure. This eliminates the risk of infection.

That is, when talking about the benefits and harms of acupuncture, it is necessary, first of all, to proceed from the competence of the doctor. To make an accurate diagnosis, you can use laboratory tests, ultrasound, magnetic resonance therapy. That is, without knowing the full clinical picture to begin treatment with acupuncture can not. This means that, thinking about acupuncture in the first place must choose a clinic and therapist. So you can minimize all possible risks and get the maximum effect from the treatment.

What are the benefits of acupuncture?

Acupuncture of the face, ears, body is a method of complex recovery of the body with minimal risks of side effects. It is characterized by the widest possible range of application, as it is suitable for alleviating the condition of many clinical cases in the acute and chronic phase. With the help of acupuncture it is possible to improve the functional state of various organs and systems, intensify local blood circulation, reduce pain, calm the nervous system, normalize autonomic reactions. Acupuncture works through the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

Again, we repeat that the benefits and harms of this procedure directly depend on who performs it. If you do not want to take risks, do not want to have a headache, malaise and other negative reactions after acupuncture, seek professional help from the doctors of the medical center ” Prizma” in Kiev. Here you will receive a comprehensive diagnosis and professional performance of the procedure, which will be the key to effective elimination of existing pathologies and overall improvement of the body.