Acupuncture in the 21st century

According to a survey in the Times newspaper recently:

· Over ninety percent of British doctors would recommend acupuncture to their patients as a complementary form of treatment.

· More than a thousand doctors practice a form of acupuncture in the UK.

· Elsewhere in Europe, doctors who practice acupuncture are in even greater numbers than in the UK, with France numbering more than 5ooo, and Germany over 4000.

· Acupuncture is becoming a modern medicine science, with the advantages of electro-acupuncture, laser acupuncture and TENS pain management.

· Acupuncture is also fast becoming accepted as a mainstream form of treatment.

Question: Does it work?

Answer: ‘Yes it does’.

I speak personally as a patient long before becoming a practitioner, indeed I am such an advocate and love to study the subject and its history because I felt and saw the amazing results for family members and myself.

Here I am writing about some of the basics of this ancient healing method and other related therapies – and it is my fondest hope it will give a new understanding and confidence through knowledge. I have been asked things like “Why didn’t it worrk for me?” in the past, I’m sorry to say that, to quote the famous song “It’s not what you do, but the way that you do it” ! There are many ways to train in this dicipline, and not all of them are comprehensive.

What will happen on my first visit?

Your first consultation may be longer than subsequent sessions. The acupuncturist needs to assess your general state of health in order to identify the underlying pattern of disharmony and give you the most effective treatment. You will be asked about your current symptoms and what treatment you have received so far. You will also be asked about your medical history and that of your close family.

In China ten minutes is all a patient can expect each day; in western countries it is more usual to have thirty minutes to an hour each week.

The practitioner will also ask you about your diet, digestive system, sleeping patterns and your general emotional state. Once enough information has been gathered to determine the likely causes of your problems, the acupuncturist can select the appropriate treatment.

The aim is to discover which energy channels need adjusting for your specific complaint to improve, and which require treatment to boost your overall energy and vitality.

Can I prepare in any way for treatment?

Try not to have a big meal within an hour of your appointment, as the process of digestion will alter the pattern of your pulse. Also avoid alcohol and food and drinks, [which alter the colour of your tongue just before you have your treatment.] Arriving for treatment after work must not mean you have not eaten for a long period.

How long will I need treatment?

Chronic cases can take many years to develop, and it is therefore likely that they will also take quite sometime to respond to treatment and start improving. It is important to allow the treatment time to take effect rather than to expect an instant “miracle cure”. The total number of treatments will vary from patient to patient, and your practitioner will discuss your own specific case with you. The longer a problem has had to ‘solidify’ in a physical system the longer it may take to overcome it.

Should I continue taking medicine prescribed by my GP?

Most certainly the answer to that question is YES. It is a complementary therapy not an alternative one. Your doctor should always be consulted if you are in any way uncertain. Chinese medicine in general does not conflict with Western medicine. However, please inform both your doctors about any current medications you are taking. I understand that there is a strong movement to include acupuncture in the public health system in the near future.

How does acupuncture work?

Fine needles are inserted at points around the body to stimulate or suppress the flow of “Qi” – the enigmatic life force – sometimes described as “electro-chemical” or “electro-magnetic” energy. There are about 500 acupoints along the 12 plus energy meridians. A 100 of these acupoints are most commonly used – also the alteration of energy at the beginning or end of flow line will affect the places between.

Acupuncture aims to restore the balance of Qi energy – a state of equilibrium when Yin and Yang are in harmony. Acupuncture may help to relieve pain (from injuries to a muscle, or a migraine, for example) and suppress cravings (food, alcohol, cigarettes etc). It is also widely used for stress relief.

What about needle sterilisation?

All members of the CMIR (Chinese Medical Institute Register) must observe a code of practice, which lays down stringent standards of hygiene and sterilisation of needles and other equipment, and modern practitioners use disposable needles. These procedures have been approved by the Department of Health, and provide protection against the transmission of infectious diseases.

Below you see an illustration of an average acupuncture needle, four thousand years ago stone needles were used, and later bronze ones that were – as you can immagine – a lot thicker than this!

Is acupuncture painful?

Acupuncture needles bear little resemblance to needles used in blood tests and injections. They are solid rather than hollow and so can be much finer. Most people find acupuncture and electro-acupuncture a pleasant and deeply relaxing experience. There should be no pain during the insertion of needles if the doctor is fully trained and experienced.

When the practitioner carefully inserts the needles, you may feel a slight tingling sensation, heat or coldness. This indicates that the treatment is beginning to have some effect; it is called ‘obtaining the Qi’. Some people may feel numbness at the point of entry or an energy transfer along the meridian to another part of the body.

Needles are inserted either for a second or two, or left in place for up to 20 minutes, depending on the effect required, and adding the electro therapy can take from 20 to 40 mins. After acupuncture, you will feel relaxed or even slightly sleepy, so please take care not to tackle anything strenuous for a few hours following your treatment.

I prefer patients to have a driver with them in the case of a troublesome illness.

How can acupuncture help me?

The benefits of acupuncture frequently include more than just relief from a particular condition, many people find that it can also lead to increased energy levels, improve appetite and sleep and gives an enhanced sense of overall well being. It is strongly advised that you make sure that the TCM doctor who treats you is fully qualified. There should be qualifications, Diplomas insurance Certificate on display at the clinic for study by all patients.

Below you see ‘Circle the Dragon’ treatment for a ‘frozen’ shoulder, this lovely name describes the pain as a ‘dragon’ and on the needle shank you will see a piece of Moxa, which is a herb to heat the needle.

 

Below are some of the problems and diseases commonly treated by acupuncture, not forgetting convalescence and rehabilitation.

 CASE STUDIES

I have picked here a few cases that are both recent and very old, to illustrate the different things that can occur in an ongoing situation. I hope you find them interesting to read.

CASE STUDY 1. Mr H age 52 ~ Depression

Mr H had been suffering from depression most of his adult life. He had tried Western medicine, including two types of antidepressants, which had most unfortunate side effects.

The symptoms of the depression were that he couldn’t sleep, or eat, and felt lethargic and later became impotent. He fell into two bouts of serious depression where he thought about killing himself.

He lost a lot of weight and spent many months getting only a few hours sleep each night. He described himself as ‘a ghost’ at work, and lost his job because of this. It was also having a very bad effect on his domestic life and his ability to function normally, In his own words Mr. D described himself as ‘an unholy  mess.’

The attitude he received from conventional doctors was unhelpful.

Within 2-3 days after initial treatment of acupuncture using the conventional points for depression, together with the qi tonic points, he felt he had more energy and was able to think more clearly than he had done in years. After 3-4 months of treatment he says he has benefited so much more than he ever expected, [even though the personal recommendation from a friend was a great encouragement.]

Mr. D now says that his life has ‘opened up’ he is able to laugh and function normally for the first time in years.  We wish him all the best in his ‘new’ life.

CASE STUDY 2. Mrs T age 40 ~ Foot injury.

Mrs T was advised to try acupuncture by another patient of mine, and her doctor approved having previously commented that there was not much else he could do except recommend pain killers.

The first concern was regarding an old foot injury giving the pain when walking after a year of physiotherapy, and she just mentioned in passing that she was unable to sleep but she thought the foot was not actually causing this other problem. On questioning for the general health picture it was revealed that her moderate smoking and drinking worried her.

I treated her whole body in the Chinese philosophical way, holistically, using both local and distance points. The effect is to balance all aspects, and this is what quickly happened in this case. I also knew that hypnotherapy would help for the natural tensions of a new experience of acupuncture, quite often fears manifest – like old friends sticking together!

For the whole course of treatment [six visits] I used both acupuncture and hypnotherapy. Even after only the first session she said, “Amazing! I slept the clock round”.

Mrs T has had noted with surprise that she has had less and less thoughts or worries about drinking and smoking after each therapy session, to the point now that she has no bother at all with any of her concerns, in fact she has stopped both habits without further effort.

This is a classic example of physical pain being induced by worry and fear, the ‘cross-over’ of hypnotherapy and acupuncture is most useful in this context.

 

CASE STUDY 3  Mr F.  age 35 ~ Stress at work

We have built in all of us the ‘fear factor’, it is an essential form of self-preservation, you might say a reminder so we learn not to keep making the same mistakes. But it can be insidious, and  when the ‘reminder’ pops up too often it actually becomes a burden.

 

So it was with Mr F, he had what he called a ‘background’ of unease at work and home, all the time even though there were plenty of signs that he was liked and respected over the years, in his own words “I can’t get over the feeling that I’m going to be sacked for the smallest of reasons, and its causing problems at home too!”

Acupuncture of the Zang and Fu organs of fear here was diagnosed, this is the Kidneys and Bladder, he commented that he “had always had a weak bladder”. A deficiency was noted in the other ‘windows’ to diagnosis of skin and hair.

 

 

For the hypnotherapy I used the ‘time travel’ of recalled memories in this case. After the therapy the realisation came gently into him that his confidence had gradually been worn away by fears that dated way back to childhood memories. These thoughts and feelings were valid at that time but as an adult they are not now useful, and with adult understanding they dissolved in the reasoning of the present day. He commented on the last session; “It’s as if a great weight has been lifted off me! Super!”

Comment: Acupuncture opens up the meridians and hypnotherapy opens up the mind, both relax into the required state to heal. This treatment of ‘time travel’ can be adapted for children where acupuncture is not appropriate at all.

 

CASE STUDY 4. Child B. ~ age 11 Bed wetting.

 

Child B was timid in manner: General health good – but looking pale and drawn: Her mother told of the problem arising from time to time over the years, but recently getting a lot worse. Age 11 is a time of change, when school and exams become important in the local system. On gentle questioning the little girl said she had no idea what was going on, and was not aware of anything after going to sleep.

 

We discussed all together the natural process of one that in normal circumstances the bladder would wake the child, only if the mind allowed it to do so, and what ever was preventing this natural process would dissolve with the treatment, but there might be a ‘transition’ stage, which would need extra help and support; i.e. night waking at odd hours to be expected.

 

In Chinese medicine the emotion / spiritual aspect of fear is attributed to Kidneys, and the partner of this Zang organ is the Fu organ of the bladder. I used acupuncture on these meridians ~ minimum points for a child.

 

Comment: What then happened was the opening up of the spirit aspect, namely the body came into wakefulness at night when the cause was allowed to manifest itself, in this case fear of changes happening, both in body and at school, showing through nightmares that had previously been suppressed. What followed was the natural process of discussing the nightmares and allaying fears.

 

Three sessions only were needed, of acupuncture and visualisation, [rather than hypnosis] with the use of metaphor and NLP.

CASE STUDY 5. Mrs R age 61 ~ Backache

Mrs R had acupuncture many years ago and it was very successful, however since a recent operation all the old problems had come again, as she put it, “with a gallop!” This can happen when a further trauma of either physical or other shock, disturbs the previous treatments good effect .

The Ashi [pain] points in the lower back were treated immediately, where she had a bad fall from a horse a long time ago, and on relieving pain in this area the leg and hip came into her awareness. This can happen when one part of the body which is in pain ‘shouts’ out, and other parts of the body at first cannot be ‘heard’.

After six weeks with acupuncture electro therapy all pain had ceased, the other issues of getting back to going horse riding again were then dealt with, using hypnotherapy.

Comment: Phobias are not always being frightened of obvious things, Mrs R’s natural worries about injuring herself were a way of the unconscious mind protecting the self.  A phobia is any fear that inhibits the quality of life.

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Acupuncture and hypnotherapy might at first seem to be not too closely related. The philosophy of Chinese medicine associates the mind to the body far closer than we in the west have done in the recent decades, and through my own experience of life [I'm 61 now] I believe that so much more of our health is due to disturbances in the emotional part of our lives.

You must have noticed at some time that a persons attitude to a situation colours all their thinking at first, till perhaps they realise that more information might be needed to reassess. This is when the emotional aspect is locked into a certain way.

Acupuncture balances first the body and then the mind through the meridian links, and hypnotherapy balances the mind and then the body through the emotional aspects in a like manner, so you see the two are not so far apart as we might think.

When we first try to understand what has happened to make a worry keep bothering us, it would seem as if thinking the whole thing through should make it go away, but this doesn’t often work.

Why?

The unconscious mind has a different agenda  to the conscious mind, and they can come into conflict at times, this is when no amount of thinking does any good. So acknowledging that a bit of help is needed here is the best plan.

A well trained therapist will use his / her skills to work out what is going on with the thought process, not what is being thought, there is a difference, all does not have to be revealed, unless the patient wishes it. Help is given through assisting the unconscious to use its natural abilities in a non-contextual way – content free.

The object is to show the parts of our minds how to work better, and not to go tinkering with the workings, like a TV repair man!

 

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Miracles often arrive at the moment we depart from fear and head toward faith ~ from ‘Small miracles for Women’

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