Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine has its origin in ancient Taoist philosophy which views a person as an energy system in which body and mind are unified, each influencing and balancing the other. Unlike allopathic medicine, which attempts to isolate and separate a disease from a person, Chinese Medicine emphasizes a holistic approach that treats the whole person. Many people have found Traditional Chinese methods of healing to be excellent tools for maintaining optimum health and preventing illness.

The ancient Chinese believed that there is a universal life energy called Chi or Qi present in every living creature. This energy is said to circulate throughout the body along specific pathways that are called meridians. As long as this energy flows freely throughout the meridians, health is maintained, but once the flow of energy is blocked, the system is disrupted and pain and illness occur. Imagine rivers that flood and cause disasters or an electrical grid short-circuiting that causes blackouts. Acupuncture works to "re-program" and restore normal functions by stimulating certain points on the meridians in order to free up the Chi energy.

Acupuncture for Chronic Pain

Acupuncture is often misunderstood because the five thousand year old Eastern descriptions do not fit into a modern Western understanding. A modern understanding of acupuncture includes the importance of a properly functioning muscular system and the effects that misbehaving muscle groups can have on seemingly unrelated pain or other health issues.

Trigger point acupuncture is a more direct manipulation of muscular tightness (knots) - known as trigger points. It seeks to generate repeated, involuntary twitching from the suspect muscle or muscle group and usually leads to an immediate reduction of the tightness as well as a reduction or elimination of the related problems.

Acupuncture for Women's Health

Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to correct imbalances women experience through all stages of life. Acupuncture has been scientifically proven to address the following conditions:

• Menstrual Irregularities and Pain
• P.M.S.
• Endometriosis and Fibroids
• P.C.O.S
• Infertility
• Menopausal signs and symptoms such as hot flashes and Insomnia
• Anxiety and Depression
• Migraines

Acupuncture during Pregnancy

For over 3000 years Traditional Chinese Medicine has promoted specialized treatment for women in pregnancy care and postpartum recovery. Today this care is becoming increasingly popular and used by acupuncturists and specially trained midwives in countries such as Denmark, England, France, Germany, Holland, Norway, Sweden, and New Zealand where acupuncture is available in specialized prenatal clinics and maternity hospitals. Pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal recovery are viewed in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a window of opportunity to enhance the woman's well being. Conversely if adequate care is not taken the resulting problems may continue long after the birth. Value is therefore placed on promoting preventive care to strengthen the mother and baby as well as dealing with problems as they occur during pregnancy. Acupuncture can be used in a variety of ways to promote fetal and maternal health:

• Nausea during pregnancy
• Muscular – Skeletal Pain (Back Pain, Sciatica, Pubic Pain, Pelvic Pain)
• Breech and Posterior Babies

The New Zealand Evidence Based practice guidelines for care of women with Breech presentation] recommends that acupuncture and moxibustion may be offered to women from 33 weeks gestation. This follows research from Italy that demonstrated moxibustion can have a significant effect in helping to turn breech babies. Ideally treatment is at 34 –35 weeks, but can still be useful when used later in the pregnancy. Techniques can also help babies that are not in the optimal position prior to birth, such as those in a posterior position.

• Hypertension
• Labor Preparation

Three to four weeks prior to the due date a treatment to prepare the pelvis and cervix can be commenced. This is followed by one treatment per week until labor begins. Research from Germany indicated the potential for a more efficient active stage of labor. A New Zealand study with midwives indicated a reduction in women requiring medical intervention, including medical induction and caesarean section.

Induction of Labor

Acupuncture can provide a gentle inducement to labor if the baby is overdue and can be an effective alternative to a medical induction. Research from Norway on the use of acupuncture for women with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) concluded that "Ideally acupuncture treatment should be offered to all women with PROM and other women who wish to use this method to facilitate their birth and keep it normal"

Other pregnancy problems

Treatment can be used to relive a variety of conditions including:

• Anxiety
• Constipation
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Heartburn
• Hemorrhoids
• Insomnia
• Edema
• Headaches
• Sinus problems
• Tiredness and exhaustion

Postnatal care

Acupuncture has techniques to promote recovery. Other conditions that can be helped by acupuncture include; insufficient lactation, wound healing and scar tissue repair, postnatal depression and urinary incontinence.

Acupuncture offers a safe, effective and drug free treatment option during and after pregnancy.

Other Conditions commonly addressed with Acupuncture

• Allergies
• Anxiety
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Depression
• Digestive Imbalances such as constipation, diarrhea, reflux
• Headache
• Hypertension
• Insomnia
• Sinusitis
• Stress
• Trigeminal Neuralgia