Acupuncture
Acupuncture is defined as: the use of high-precision needles for insertion into specific and important points across the skin. This method is one of the most important parts of Chinese medicine used to treat pain. Chinese medicine explains acupuncture as a method that works on acupuncture. Rebalancing the energy or so-called life force that runs through the paths in the body when the insertion of these needles to certain areas in those tracks. The explanation adopted by Western doctors is that they are seen as a way to stimulate nerves (Nerves), Muscles, and connective tissues, which increases the flow of blood and the production of analgesic natural substances.
Uses of Acupuncture
Although there is not enough scientific evidence for the use of acupuncture at times, specialists in this method use it to treat many different conditions and conditions, including musculoskeletal system. This method can be used in different recommendations In the following cases:
- Chronic Tension-Type Headaches.
- Migraines.
- Chronic pain such as neck pain.
- Joint Pain.
- Dental Pain.
- Postoperative pain (Postoperative Pain).
The method of acupuncture treatment
The number of sessions and times of acupuncture treatment varies, and can be up to ten sessions, but what is important in the first session is to assess the patient’s health status, history and physical examination, and then can begin to enter the needles, Ranging from twenty to forty minutes.
Depending on the health status of the person, the specialist will choose the points needed to enter the needles. A number of points are usually selected up to twelve points. It is important to note that the choice of points depends often on the number of symptoms a person experiences. The treatment begins with the patient sitting or lying down in preparation for needle insertion at these points. The needles are inserted only in the subcutaneous area or may be inserted into the muscle tissue. The patient may feel a slight tingling when inserted, Cause great pain; the therapist should be notified immediately after feeling great pain. The needles are then left in the place where they were inserted for a period of between minutes and thirty minutes. In some cases, the therapist can manage or stimulate the needles using a weak electrical current, called electroacupuncture. It should be noted that the needles used should be sterile, several centimeters long and used only once; they must be destroyed immediately after use.
Safety in acupuncture treatment
It is important to inform the doctor responsible for the patient’s use of acupuncture treatment. Although acupuncture treatment is safe if performed by an approved therapist, checking the safety of the method and asking the therapist about it is important. The certified certificate of the therapist must be considered; it indicates that he has received a certain degree of training and his preservation to follow the rules of work, such as the removal of needles once they are used. In rare cases, some problems may occur after acupuncture treatment, including inflammation due to non-sterilization of needles, so it is very important to ensure the use of a new and sterile set of needles in each treatment session.
Side effects of acupuncture
Some minor and short-term side effects may occur in some cases, including:
Challenges Facing Acupuncture Studies
Current studies conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health aim to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment in treating certain types of pain and some health conditions and to determine their response to the body. Minopause, its ability to relieve the pain and discomfort associated with chemotherapy, and the comparison of acupuncture with Simulated Acupuncture – Techniques that use sharp, retractable head needles. These needles touch the skin and are pulled but not penetrated as in actual acupuncture treatment. They also aim at comparing actual treatment with acupuncture. Studies on acupuncture treatment face some challenges, including:
- Clinical Trials, which aim to study acupuncture treatment in several ways, such as the difference in techniques used, the number of needle insertion points, the number of treatment sessions, and the varying duration of each session.
- The results of the treatment sessions are based on the patient’s beliefs, expectations of the treatment, as well as the correlation of results with his / her relationship with the therapist, rather than on the treatment itself.