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Acupuncture is the trademark of
Chinese medicine. While many associate acupuncture with hypodermic
needles that are used for injections and drawing blood, nothing
could be further from the truth. The gauge of the stainless
steel disposable needles used in modern acupuncture is far thinner
than hypodermic needles. Most of the needles in use today are
as thin as or thinner than human hair.
Brought to a far greater audience by the Bill Moyers special
on "Healing and the Mind", acupuncture has even been
demonstrated in radical uses such as anesthesia during surgery.
It is growing in popularity among all walks of life in modern
America, especially thanks to its widespread use among celebrities,
athletes, and entertainers.
To find out more about acupuncture and what it can do for you,
please click on one of the links below:
History
| Components | Problems/Diseases
Acupuncture traces its origins
back to China's semi-mythical Yellow Emperor (Huang Di), some
5000 years ago, in the form of the cannonical text Huang Di
Nei Jing or Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic. Combining different
theories which are also part of the Chinese martial arts, such
as the 5 Elements and Yin & Yang, acupuncture has developed
into a highly practical medical science, which has yet to be
fully comprehended by mainstream Western allopathic medicine.
Originally using implements such as smooth stones, obsidian
slivers, and other such naturally occuring tools, the ancient
Chinese found that stimulation of certain points on the surface
of the body at certain depths also had therapeutic effects on
the internal organs. Through time, the implements changed to
several different types of disposable stainless steel needles
(varying in length, gauge, and arrangement), which are used
in modern acupuncture practice and in keeping with modern health
and safety standards.
In the 20th century, acupuncture underwent a melding process
with modern allopathic medicine, as the People's Republic of
China strove to modernize and integrate its indigenous medicines
with the biomedicine of the outside world. One of the highest
authorities in traditional Chinese medicine was Dr. Yang, Jia-san.
Dr. Yang was one of only three people given the authority to
issue doctoral degrees in acupuncture, following the establishment
of a western style educational system for Chinese medicine practitioners.
The practice of acupuncture also
includes moxibustion (the application of smouldering mugwort
to specific acupoints) and cupping (the use of suction cups
to change the energetic Qi flow at certain points or along meridian
lines). Gua Sha, also known as "scraping", is another
form of Chinese medical treatment.
Moxibustion: The physician usually
uses a smoldering moxa stick, which is shaped like a long cigar,
to heat certain affected areas on a patient's body. The heat
from the burning moxa penetrates into the acupuncture meridians
to bring about a change in the patient's health. Moxa can also
be applied with loose moxa held in an insulated burning device,
which allows the heat from the moxa to penetrate down into the
patient's body without the risk of being burned by embers or
ashes. In many cases, moxibustion can also be done in conjunction
with acupuncture by placing a smaller clump of moxa on the end
of the needle handle. [include closeup of hand holding moxa
stick & warm needle technique]
Cupping: Cupping involves the use
of glass, bamboo, or plastic cups to create vacuum suction around
certain points on the patient's body. It is commonly used to
treat early stage colds & flu, as well as upper body tension.
Cupping treatments generally leave circular bruise-like markings
where the cups have been placed, moving stale blood out of the
capillaries and drawing fresh blood in. These bruises disappear
in a few days, leaving the patient with a renewed sense of well-being.
The walking-cupping style is said to have arisen from Tui-Na
practitioners. [include pic of cups on back]
Gua Sha: Traditionally, scraping
methods are used throughout SE Asia as a means of treating certain
diseases, especially upper respiratory disorders. Applied in
much in the same way as cupping, gua sha employs a smooth implement
of some sort, along with an oil-based lubricant, to gently and
repeatedly scrape the patient's skin along certain lines. The
scraping causes lines of petechiae to rise up, eventually turning
to a bruise-colored marking. In cases of severe stagnation,
the markings on the skin will be dark immediately following
a treatment.
Problems/Diseases
Treated By Acupuncture
|
During the course of his studies
and practice, Dr. Cheng has had the opportunity to treat a variety
of patients using only acupuncture. He was quite surprised to
find the kind of efficacy rates that he did. Below are a few
of the diseases and conditions he has treated successfully with
acupuncture.
Click
on a link below to read a case study involving the treatment
of a particular disease or disorder:
Stress
- Case Study
Fatigue
Muscle cramps, including nocturnal calf cramps
Headaches
Neuralgia
Muscular
Atrophy - Case Study
Fibromyalgia
Mental disorders (such as depression and anxiety)
Abdominal pain (Stomach aches)
Lower back pain (lumbago)
Tennis
Elbow - Case Study
Hypertension
Digestive disorders
Neck & shoulder pain
