What Is The History Of Acupuncture?
By Zach Thompson
Treating Autoimmune Disease with Acupuncture
Over 50 million Americans suffer from autoimmune disease; an autoimmune disease occurs when the body?s immune system attacks healthy tissue.
Due to the complexity of treating autoimmune disorders, integrative medicine solutions including acupuncture and Oriental medicine have received much attention as successful therapies in their treatment. Acupuncture is specifically noted for its use in pain relief, regulating the immune system, managing symptoms and improving quality of life. ]]>
Army To Include AOM for Pain Treatment
[from Acupuncture Today, July 21, 2010]
The statistics are sobering, to say the least. According to leading pain specialists in the Veterans Administration, nine in 10 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans return home with some form of pain, and 60 percent have significant pain.1 Now, a recent announcement by top Army officials may help address this situation and provide our modern military forces with ancient forms of healing to help with pain relief.
On June 25, the Army Surgeon General, Lt. Gen. Eric B. Schoomaker, announced the release of a report by the Pain Management Task Force, which has 109 recommendations for changes in the way Army personnel are treated for pain. Among those recommendations are the inclusion of complementary and alternative treatments such as acupuncture, meditation, biofeedback and yoga. ]]>
Is Cosmetic Acupuncture Effective for Aging?
A major tenet of acupuncture is that to reflect beauty on the outside, you must be healthy on the inside. Cosmetic acupuncture is a unique method of facial rejuvenation based on this philosophy. And its popularity is growing among women in America.]]>
Study: Acupuncture Improves Fertility in Men, Too
Acupuncture Today
Previous research has shown that acupuncture can improve fertility levels in women. Fewer studies on male infertility have been conducted, although evidence suggests that acupuncture can have an effect on sperm production and quality, without causing any changes in behavior or sexual desire. ]]>
Study Supports Acupuncture Effects In Pain Control
The scientific validity of traditional Chinese medicine for pain treatment of pain received a nod of support in the May issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).
Dr. Philip Lang and colleagues of the University of Munich used quantitative sensory testing to identify changes in pain sensitivity with acupuncture in 24 healthy volunteers. After applying acupuncture to the leg, the researchers found that pain thresholds increased by up to 50 percent. Effects were noted in both the treated leg and the untreated (contralateral) leg. ]]>
Acupuncture is an ancient form of medical treatment and has been used since 202BC. Traditional Korean medicine mentions this form of treatment under the name of Chimsul. Japanese traditional medicine (Kampo) also considers it important. Evidence suggests that this ancient art may even have been practiced in Eurasia during the early Bronze Age. This may not have been quite like the we know but was a similar treatment.
At first the Communist party in China did not accept the traditional forms of medical treatment like Acupuncture, but in time chairman Mao accepted these treatments as an important part of Chinese medicine. He sent representatives out to research the different theories and techniques of Chinese medicine. This research led to a compilation known as Traditional Chinese Medicine. After the Cultural Revolution only the Traditional Chinese Medicine findings were accepted and other treatments were outlawed. This led to a migration of practitioners, who spread the word about to their newfound homes. The information about treatment was brought to the USA by this means.
Acupuncture treatment has been used in the West since the 17th Century. The 1st practical use was in 1810 at the Paris Medical School by Dr Berlioz. He claimed to have some successes with this treatment. However his medical peers were somewhat skeptical. John Churchill continued to use this treatment in the UK in 1821, and published some facts about his treatment of tympany and rheumatoid arthritis with treatment. Dr Elliotson also used this treatment and published his findings about treating 42 cases of rheumatoid arthritis with this method in 1827.
Today is widely used in the West. It is mainly used as therapy but some practitioners even use this treatment as anesthesia. Doctors in France and Austria have carried out experiments with using as anesthesia and have met with some success; Russian Doctors have also done some research. In 1972 a paper was published about points. Russians claim that they have used this treatment for a wide variety of ailments. The rest of the Western world uses mainly for treating pain.
Acupuncture is still fairly controversial in the medical field with many doctors and scientists showing a lot of doubt in this form of treatment. However there are also many success stories. As more research is done we will be seeing more ways to use this intriguing form of medical treatment. | 
