Acupuncture

Q: What is Acupuncture?
A: Acupuncture is a 5, 000 year old Chinese system of natural healing (No drugs…No surgery), which is concerned with restoring proper energy flow to the various organs, glands, and tissues of the body on the premise that most diseases are the result of malfunction due to disrupted energies.

Explanations:  The Chinese definition of Health is “All parts of the body functioning normally”, all 460 trillion parts.  If there is an interruption in the transmission of energy flow or life force (called ch’i in Chinese), then organ malfunction, disease, pain and suffering are inevitable.

Q: Where does the interruption of energy flow accur?
A: In either or both locations: 1) In the channels of energy flow (meridians), which are located throughout the body, just beneath the skin surface; 2) In the spinal column where vertebrae may become misaligned, thereby compressing vital nerve trunks.

Q: Are there other causes of disease besides those associated with the interference of transmission of energy flow?
A: Yes, of course.  Psychosomatic states, hereditary factors, poisons, adverse environmental conditions, injury, germs, malnutrition, etc…are all disease producing.

Q:  How do you detect the disturbance in energy flow within the patient?
A: By many methods, including certain signs, symptoms, pain spots, organ reflex points, and by pulse or instrumental findings.

Q: Assuming I’m going to take acupuncture treatments, how are they performed?
A:  First, the related skin points are determined.  Then they are appropriately treated by one of over thirty methods of stimulation some of which are: 1) Long neeedle insertion (specially done in acupuncture anesthesia for surgery); 2) Short needle penetration; 3) Non-piercing needles; 4) Finger-tip pressure (called sinshin or “finger needles”); 5) metallic balls taped in the points; 6) Electrical stimulation; 7) Moxabustion (the burning of herbs over the points).
Note:  The non-piercing needle (teishin) is very popular because the technique is practically painless, there is no blood, no danger of infection, and the results are equal to, if not better than other techniques.

Q: What are some of the conditions commonly treated by acupuncture?
A: Textbook listed conditions run into hundreds.  Typical ailments usually responding to acupuncture health care includes; neurogias, headaches, tregeminal neuralgia, tics, spasms, muscular rheumatism, neuralgia of the shoulders and arm, tennis elbox, osteoarthritis, rheumatism, ulcers, stomach problems, diarrhea, hepatitis, asthma, bronchitis, shortness of breath, coughs, certain types of heart trouble, abnormal blood pressure, hemorrhoids, lumbago, bladder irritation, bed wetting, certain kidney problems, female disorders, impotence, glaucoma (sometimes), weak eyesight, hay fever, loss of smell, tonsillitis, loss of hearing, skin conditions, and even nervous or psychiatric factors based on the fact that often mental problems arise from physical disorders.

The above list may seem long as though acupuncture were a Panacca.  The truth is that  most textbooks list over two hundred diseases. Please be mindful; of the fact that acupuncture is not like one drug used for one condition, but on the contrary; it is a complete healing art within itself, concerned with the systems of the body such as nervous, circulatory, digestive, respiratory, eliminatory, reproductive, hormonal, musculoskeletal, etc., and seeks to correct health problems within those systems.

Q: Out of, say, 10 patients accepted for acupuncture health care, how many usually respond favorable?
A: On the average 8. Two out of ten fail to respond favorably for a variety of reasons. Advanced age, severity of the condition, irreversible tissue damage, etc., are deterrents to recovery.

Q: Is spinal adjustment treatment necessary with acupuncture?
A: Absolutely. Spinal adjusting is part of the acupuncture health care.  World authorities, including Feliz Mann, M.D. of England; Paul Nogier, M.D. of France; and Kurizo Nugayama, M.D. of Japan are very emphatic on this aspect of “getting well.”  Dr. Mann states that many internal diseases are successfully treated by the spinal adjustment alone.  Leaving the adjustment (chiropractic) out of the treatment invites failure.

Q: Does acupuncture have another name?
A: Yes. In fact the word acupuncture is incorrect because it implies needles only.  The proper wording is “Meridian Therapy,” or Ching Lo Chi Liao in Chinese.  It was named “acupuncture” in the 16th century by Portugese sailors who knew no better.  The name stuck.

Q:  What kind of provider should I go to for this type of health care?
A:  Any doctor (chiropractor, medical, or osteopath) who has had the proper training.

Any doctor who has not had the proper training is pretending to know something he/she does not know, and by that definition is not practicing legally.  Just because a doctor happens to have a chiropractic, medical or osteopathic degree does not mean that he/she is qualified to do acupuncture.  If he/she engages in practice, he/she is guilty of acupuncture malpractice. He/she must receive qualified training and pass exams to certify competence.  This is a public protection measure.

Q:  In Acupuncture (meridian therapy), are there other significant factors besides skin point stimulation and vertebral adjustments?
A:  Yes, there are four laws to obey for those who desire health and longevity: 1) Proper nutrition, 2) Adequate rest, 3) Moderate exercise; 4) Positive mental attitude.

Dr. Sara L. Riley is a Texas Licensed Doctor of Chiropractic and is licensed to provide acupuncture therapy. Dr. Riley also focuses on pediatric, geriatric and women’s chiropractic care. To find out if Acupuncture therapy is the right treatment for you or your family please call our office and schedule an appointment to speak with her; she will be delighted to recommend the proper treatment for your health care needs.