Healing With A Needle

Once touted as an experimental and vastly alternative medicine, acupuncture is nowadays increasingly making its way into mainstream healing. Hospitals like Bumrungrad, Bangkok Nursing Home and Petcharat in Phetbur have doctors for acupuncture. Hua Chiew hospital in Bangkok has one building for modern medicine and another for Chinese medicine and therapies. Charges for each visit is almost half to big brands in Bangkok. But what exactly is acupuncture, what does it do and what can it heal?

Acupuncture is an age-old technique in which a skilled practitioner inserts hair-thin needles into specific points on the body to prevent or treat illness. Practiced for over 2,500 years in China, where it originated, acupuncture is part of the holistic system of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which views health as a constantly changing flow of energy, or qi (pronounced "chee"). In TCM, imbalances in this natural flow of energy are thought to result in disease. Acupuncture aims to restore health by improving the flow of qi.

There are ten different lengths of needles made of stainless steel and sterilised. These're disposable and their length varies from pin head to two feet long. But generally one inch or one and a half inch are used.

While acupuncture was mentioned in Western medical texts more than a hundred years ago, it wasn't until 1971 that the world really became aware of this ancient art of healing. New York Times reporter James Reston, stricken with appendicitis while in Beijing, was treated successfully with acupuncture for post-surgical pain. In a front-page story for his newspaper, Reston wrote, "I've tried other forms of medicine, but this has really helped me!" China's paramount leader Mao Tse Tung got treated for cataract using acupuncture.

This revelation came at a time when many people were looking for a more holistic, naturalistic approach to healthcare. So how does it work? According to the principles of TCM, qi flows through the body via 14 primary meridians or channels. Acupuncture strengthens the flow of qi, or remove blockages in the meridians. There are thousands of acupoints along the meridians, which are associated with specific internal organs or organ systems. TCM proponents believe that acupuncture stimulates the body’s internal regulatory system and nurtures a natural healing response.

Acupuncture can completely cure or reduce the pain. If the patient is paralysed, has cancer, tumour, acupuncture is not the answer. If the patient has joints problem, migraine, lack of energy, sexual dysfunction, problem conceiving a child, back pain, acupuncture can cure for good, with no side effects.

Although Western science has neither proven nor accepted the notion of qi, a large body of evidence is accumulating indicating that acupuncture leads to real physiologic changes in the body. Numerous studies have shown, for example, that inserting needles into the skin stimulates nerves in the underlying muscles. This stimulation, researchers feel, sends impulses up the spinal cord to a relatively primitive part of the brain known as the limbic system, as well as to the midbrain and the pituitary gland.

In a study, researchers using brain scans discovered that acupuncture can alter blood circulation within the brain. The most common question on every prospective patient’s mind is almost always "Does it hurt?" On a typical first visit to an acupuncturist, the practitioner will take a thorough medical history, then check pulse, examine your tongue, take note of how your breath is, and "palpate" (or feel) certain areas of your body. Depending on your ailment, you may also have your first acupuncture treatment at this time. In general, visits occur once or twice a week over several months until therapeutic results are achieved.

While the needles can feel uncomfortable at times, they rarely hurt. They are very thin (only about three times the thickness of a human hair and much finer than the hypodermic needles used to give injections) and are designed to enter the skin with little resistance. Once the needles are inserted (generally from one to 15 are used), the acupuncturist may twist them manually or send a weak electrical current through them to increase the energy flow. The needles may be left in for 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the ailment. Some practitioners also use moxibustion, which involves burning herbs, near acupoints, to hasten healing.

In general, different people experience different sensations from acupuncture. Some describe a tingling pins-and-needles feeling, while others may feel numbness or nothing at all. Most find the sessions relaxing, and many fall asleep during or immediately after treatment.Some patients notice rapid improvement after just a few sessions. In those whose conditions have taken years to develop, treatment may take longer.

Acupuncture has been shown to be effective when dealing with chronic pain. Many people have cited acupuncture as aiding them with headache pain, menstrual related pain such as cramps or generally persistent muscle aches (located anywhere from the neck to the back to the shoulders). There have even been documented cases where acupuncture has assisted in breaking extremely powerful addictions such as drug, alcohol and nicotine dependency and even eating disorders.

Today more innovative applications for acupuncture are being explored by both conventional and alternative practitioners, and studies have concluded that the therapy is an effective treatment for postoperative pain after dental surgery and for nausea induced by chemotherapy, pregnancy and anesthesia. It is also a useful and acceptable treatment for a variety of conditions, including fibromyalgia, stroke rehabilitation, headache, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

For those seeking to explore the healing benefits of acupuncture, listed below are some of the recommended clinics that offer acupuncture by skilled practitioners.
Huachiew General Hospital, tel: 02-223-1351 #4117
Siriraj Hospital, tel: 02-419-7504
Lee Guay Tohng, tel: 02-688-1241
Kitjawet Clinic, tel: 02-287-3259 and 081-751-8660
Bumrungrad International, tel: 02-667-1302
BNH Hospital, tel: 02-686-2700
Bangkok Hospital, tel: 02-310-3011
Thadindaeng Thai_Chnese Medical Clinic, tel: 02-437-1650, 02-437-3052