Acupuncture has been practiced as an alternative medicine for centuries now. The word acupuncture typically means the insertion of needle at points or to apply an electric current to needles in acupuncture points in our body. It is believed that it relieves pain, treat infertility, treat diseases, prevents different kinds of disease, to promote the general health of an individual or sometimes used for therapeutic purposes. Ancient people believed that the disease is the outcome of imbalance yin and yang which is caused by a blockage or stagnation of metaphysical energy named as "qi". They believed that Qi flow in and around our body through a channel called meridians. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine their practice is based on Daoism, it is believed that all parts of the universe are interconnected. The acupuncture points were derived from Chinese astrological calculations and evidence of its effectiveness was not established and was concluded as placebo effect. It is done by well trained practitioners using sterile needles. How it was started? According to research the earliest record of acupuncture is the Chinese text named shiji then in the 2nd century BCE medical text. Bian shi also known as sharpened stones were found in China, giving us the idea that maybe it was practiced during Neolithic period. Evidence such as hieroglyphs and pictographs were found during Shang dynasty (1600-1100 BCE) and it was practiced together with Moxibustion. It is Another Traditional Chinese medicine therapy that uses moxa or mugwort herb. During Han dynasty, stone and bone needles were replaced with metal. The Mawangdui texts mentioned the use of pointed stones to open abscesses and moxibustion was used. It was about 2nd century BCE, when acupuncture was used primarily to treat systemic diseases. Acupuncture spread from Asia then by means of Portuguese missionaries it was spread in the west during the 16th century. In 1822, the Chinese Emperor ordered to stop the practice and teachings of acupuncture within the Imperial Academy of medicine outright, as unfit to be practice by gentlemen-scholars. After the Civil war, Chinese communist Party, the leaders referred Chinese medicines as superstitious, irrational and backward. But Chairman Mao Zedong says that "Chinese medicine and pharmacology is a great treasure house and efforts should be made to explore them and raise them to higher level." And it was President Richard Nixon in the United States, the key were the Chinese introduced Acupuncture in the US. Acupuncture Points Health is a state of balance between the Ying and Yang, when unbalanced, blocked or stagnant occurs the disease arises. Acupuncture points, was based on their belief that our body is relatively related to the number of rivers flowing towards the 12 ancient Chinese Kingdom and the 365 days in the year. Imbalanced Yin and Yang and Wu Xing( five elements such as earth, water, fire, wood and metal) attributes to the disease and pathology. They described acupuncture as manipulating the qi to restore the balance and illness in our body has also links in the stars, planets and even astrological beliefs. How it is practice? Before acupuncture is conducted the practitioner utilizes the four diagnostic methods such as: inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiring and palpation. An initial consultation should also be done prior to the procedure to ensure a good condition of the patient. Tongue and pulse examination is also included in the diagnostic method. Because they believe that our tongue, contain a map of the entire body and is used to determine points to manipulate. Acupuncture needles are made of stainless steel wire. Its length varies between 13-130 mm and diameter from 0.16mm-0.26mm. Shorter needle used only near the face and eyes, while flashy areas used longer needle. They require tubes for insertion in thinner needles and the tip should not be made too sharp to prevent any breakage. It is believed that blunt needle s causes more pain in the area. Bacterial infection, Reproduction and Pain are the major conditions were acupuncture believed to be effective. There is still argument whether to use Traditional Chinese Medicine like Acupuncture as method in treatment for diseases. Although evidence shows the effectiveness of this practice but still a lot of research needs to be conducted in order to achieve its goal and that is to treat diseases. We should provide safety precautions and ensure that the needle used is free from any harmful bacteria to prevent any blood borne infections.
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