Essay, Research Paper: Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the ancient way of healing for the Chinese. You may think this practice is only used by the Chinese. It is actually used by a lot of different people in places like the US, parts of Asia, and Africa. Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years. There are books that date this ancient science as being at least 4,000 years old. Archaeologists have found needles more than 3,000 years old. Sir William Osler was a great Canadian physician who used acupuncture for back ailments around 1900. Now, there are over 3,000,000 practitioners worldwide. Most of these people are in the east but now they're starting acupuncture in the west. The cost of acupuncture treatment varies in different parts of the country. The average amount of money is between $45.00 and $100.00 per treatment.

The reason they do acupuncture is to stimulate certain organs by poking areas of the skin. The body has natural painkillers called endorphins. They occur in the brain. Acupuncture seems to raise endorphin levels by the use of the small, solid needles inserted into the skin at different depths. The
acupuncturist turns them softly just below the skin. The technique is based on the theory of energy balancing. Acupuncture attempts to replace imbalances and restore the body's harmony. Many people believe that there are meridians, imaginary lines where needles are inserted, and they signal the brain to send healing to areas of pain. Heating needles makes them easier to get into the skin. Sometimes they even use small electrical currents through the needle. The use of acupuncture is not only for the relief of pain but also for a wide variety of conditions to heal the body such as disorders of the mouth, gastrointestinal system, respiratory system and the eyes.

The doctors that do these practices know what parts of the skin are sensitive to certain organs. They believe that with acupuncture they can restore the balance between the physical, emotional and spiritual parts of an individual. The purpose of the ancient acupuncture treatments was to release energy. Acupuncture is very effective, but can't help everyone. During acupuncture, needles may be left in for two or three seconds. Sometimes they are also left in for 20 or 30 minutes depending on the things that they need to accomplish. There are over 360 points in the human body that acupuncture uses to relieve organs. In the early days of ancient Chinese acupuncture, they used needles that were made of bronze, gold, and silver. Today they usually use needles made of steel. Some Chinese doctors can treat forms of heart disease of acupuncture. In China, sometimes they do not use medication to numb areas of the body like we do here when a person needs surgery. Through the use of needles, they can avoid the side effects and after effects of anesthesia, which we use in the United States. The patient claims not to have experienced pain during the procedure or operation. Anybody in the United States that wants to try acupuncture should first check that the practitioner is certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupunctures.

Acupressure is similar to acupuncture. However, instead of the use of needles the acupressure practitioner uses his/her hands to put pressure on the skin. Jin Shin Do bodymind acupressure's healing method is said to liberate physical and emotional tensions. A study by the Massachusetts Medical Society found that acupressure on a wrist point helped alleviate nausea and morning sickness in pregnancy. You can buy a bracelet in the drugstore that uses acupressure to relieve motion sickness. Some people find this very helpful.

After an acupuncture treatment, benefits can last about two to three days depending on the person that it's done on. A side effect of acupuncture is feeling drowsy. Many people think that acupuncture the first time may be painful, although it's not. The needles are so sharp and thin that you can barely feel them. As I told you in the beginning, acupuncture can only help some people. It can be very beneficial in relieving pain for some individuals and can also help to repair organs so that they function properly.