Acupuncture has existed as part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for thousands of years but it has become integrated into general medicine only in the past 30 years or so. It is used mostly as a complementary treatment (one given alongside conventional treatments). The therapy involves puncturing the skin with needles in defined points to relieve pain and reduce the symptoms of certain conditions.
Practitioners of TCM believe that flows called qi energy around your body in channels (meridians). Equal and opposite properties called yin and yang are thought to become unbalanced, causing illness. The needles used in acupuncture aim to restore this balance.
The way acupuncture works is being increasingly understood in general medicine. In this setting, it's based on the idea that acupuncture needles stimulate nerve endings and alter the way your brain functions, particularly in relation to how your body responds to pain.
In acupuncture, every procedure is usually adapted to meet individual needs and may differ from what is described here. So it is important to follow your acupuncturist's advice.
Acupuncture is used to treat a range of conditions. There is good scientific evidence for its effectiveness in relieving:
- knee pain from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis
- the sensation of feeling sick and vomiting as a result of chemotherapy
- the sensation of feeling sick and vomiting following surgery
- dental pain
- tension-type headache
- migraine
Acupuncture is used in many other common illnesses such as depression and asthma. However, the evidence isn't clear and more studies are needed to test the effectiveness of acupuncture. It is also claimed that acupuncture improves the rate of pregnancy in women having in vitro fertilisation, although more research is needed to confirm early findings.
It is important to visit your doctor before starting this therapy to help diagnose your condition and to ensure that acupuncture is an appropriate treatment for you. The acupuncturist will ask you detailed questions about your medical history, diet, lifestyle and health problems and examine you.
Traditional Acupuncture
Traditional acupuncture therapists are usually not trained to make a medical diagnosis he/she can advise you on a course of acupuncture treatment.
In your first consultation, particular attention may be paid to your tongue and pulse. Traditional acupuncture therapist's use this is to assess your physical health and flow of energy. Don't eat or drink anything immediately before your appointment that may cause discolouration of your tongue (such as coffee).
Your acupuncturist will feel for tender 'trigger' points in the tissues under your skin. There are approximately 500 trigger or acupuncture points in your body, which if stimulated with needles, may affect how certain organs work.
You are likely to have a number of needles, up to 12, inserted half a centimetre to several centimetres into your skin. The sensation when the needle goes in is often described as a tingling or dull ache. The needles will target a selection of acupuncture points in your body. Your acupuncturist may insert each needle and immediately remove it, or leave the needles in place for 30 minutes or more.
Different acupuncture points may be selected during your course of treatment. A typical course of treatment lasts four to six sessions.
Moxibustion
Traditional acupuncturists may use additional techniques such as moxibustion - this is the burning of a herb just above the surface of the skin. The herb is either attached to an acupuncture needle or held in a cigar-shaped stick. Acupuncturists think this warms the acupuncture points and encourages the body's energy - qi - to flow smoothly.
Cupping
Cupping is another technique where heated cups are placed on the skin to create a vacuum and stimulate an acupuncture point.
Medical Acupuncture
In medical acupuncture, as with traditional acupuncture, the practitioner will assess your condition and your treatment will be tailored for your individual need. Fine needles will be inserted through your skin and left in position briefly during the treatment. Sometimes manual or low voltage electrical stimulation is used to assist the process. The number of needles varies but may be only two or three. The treatment sessions are usually once a week to begin with, then at longer intervals if there is a response in your condition. A typical course of treatment lasts five to eight sessions.
People often feel relaxed after an acupuncture treatment. You may feel quite tired or drowsy for a few hours. Some people have a short-term flare-up of their symptoms after treatment.
Risks
The unwanted, but mostly mild and temporary effects of a successful treatment, the side-effects of acupuncture may include:
- discomfort when the needle is inserted
- drowsiness
- fainting or feeling faint
- bruising or bleeding at the site of the needle
Although very rare, potential complications of acupuncture include infection through needles or damage to an internal organ from the insertion of a needle (such as a punctured lung). Special precautions need to be taken for pregnant women.
There is much discussion over the extent to which the effects of acupuncture are due to a placebo (dummy) response. Recent trials have compared acupuncture with a form of sham treatment that looks like acupuncture but doesn't involve piercing the skin. The results seem to suggest that much of the effect relies on people's belief that the procedure is working.