About Healing Art

In today's world, we all carry diseases, various pains, and other imbalances that disrupt our overall health. The truth is, while there have been astounding advancements and technological breakthroughs to increase our daily conveniences and quality of life, ironically, these very "improvements" are responsible for further disrupting our own natural internal balance.

The more synthetic our world becomes, the farther we are from the natural state-of-being that Nature intended: We all have natural healing mechanisms coded into our DNA, but the very conveniences, luxuries, and advancements that we enjoy have all worked to diminish the effectiveness of our natural mechanisms. Modern Medicine has improved greatly to help us deal with the diseases we face, but they still have massive side effects-trade one ill for another. So how will restoring this natural internal balance help? It will effectively restore and boost our natural immune systems and help promote our natural healing mechanisms leading to a healthier, more natural lifestyle.

Acupuncture and herbal medicines have been in use in Asia for over 5,000 years, and it is founded on the very principles of restoring and boosting our natural internal balances and promoting self-healing via our natural healing systems; it has collectively become a healing art. Although Acupuncture and Herbal Medicines may seem foreign for many, it is increasingly becoming widely accepted by Hollywood stars and medical professionals alike.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is one of the oldest, most commonly used medical procedures in the world. Originating in Asia more than 5,000 years ago, acupuncture began to become better known in the United States in 1971, when New York Times reporter James Reston wrote about how doctors in China used needles to ease his pain after surgery.

The term acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical points on the body by a variety of techniques. American practices of acupuncture incorporate medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries. The acupuncture technique that has been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation.

How widely is acupuncture used in the United States

In the past three decades, acupuncture has grown in popularity in the United States.
The report from a Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture held at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1997 stated that acupuncture is being "widely" practiced--by thousands of physicians, dentists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners--for relief or prevention of pain and for various other health conditions.
According to the 2002 National Health Interview Survey--the largest and most comprehensive survey of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by American adults to date--an estimated 8.2 million U.S. adults had ever used acupuncture, and an estimated 2.1 million U.S. adults had used acupuncture in the previous year.

What does acupuncture feel like?

Acupuncture needles are metallic, solid, and hair-thin. People experience acupuncture differently, but most feel no or minimal pains as the needles are inserted. Some people are energized by treatment, while others feel relaxed. Improper needle placement, movement of the patient, or a defect in the needle can cause soreness and pain during treatment. This is why it is important to seek treatment from a qualified acupuncture practitioner.

Is acupuncture safe?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners in 1996. The FDA requires that sterile, nontoxic needles be used and that they be labeled for single use by qualified practitioners only.

Relatively few complications from the use of acupuncture have been reported to the FDA in light of the millions of people treated each year and the number of acupuncture needles used. Still, complications have resulted from inadequate sterilization of needles and from improper delivery of treatments. Practitioners should use a new set of disposable needles taken from a sealed package for each patient and should swab treatment sites with alcohol or another disinfectant before inserting needles. When not delivered properly, acupuncture can cause serious adverse effects, including infections and punctured organs.

Resourced by http://nccam.nih.gov