Understanding Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a unique health care system that began in China well over 2500 years ago. The basic premise of the practice is that there is a force of energy that flows through the body known as Qi, that is essential for our health and well being. When this natural force is disrupted, our health begins to deteriorate. Acupuncture is believed to be able to correct the imbalance in the force at point closest to the skin.
Acupuncture was a rather rare element of medicine until President Nixon went on his famous visit to China in 1972. After his visit, there was an explosion of interest in much of China including the ancient art of acupuncture in regards to Western medicine.
Acupuncture in its simplest form is the process of stimulating locations on the body through multiple techniques on or in the skin. There have been several procedures developed over the years that have incorporated several various elements of acupuncture from Korea, Japan, and China. While there are several methods, the most widely known is the use of metallic needles to puncture the skin that are manually or electrically manipulated.
Understanding The Standards For Acupuncture Needles
After much research, the U.S. FDA removed acupuncture needles from the category of experimental medical devices. They are now seen in the same sense as a scalpel or hypodermic needle, and the same single use and sterility procedures pertain to them.
What Is Cupping Therapy?
Cupping is a type of therapy that is used in conjunction with body work treatments and acupuncture.
Cupping involves heating the air inside of a glass cup which helps to remove the air from the cup. The cup is then placed on the skin which creates a vacuum which will envelop part of the skin into the cup. The cup may be left on the skin for several minutes and when it is removed it will leave behind a red, circular welt. The thought process behind this method is the fact that it helps to stimulate the energy that is found within the body or its Qi.
Are There Any Side Effects Due To Acupuncture?
The of the major injuries that have been reported due to acupuncture is pneumothorax, which is the accidental puncture of the lung. In addition, acupuncture treatments can lead to viral hepatitis, which is a serious liver infection. It is also possible to get a bacteria infection from the needle being inserted into the skin. Typically, any side effects from acupuncture are due to poor training and hygiene.
