Acupuncture - Drug Free Therapy @ The 6th Sense Hospital

What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the gentle insertion  of very fine needles into specific points on the body. This process stimulates  movement of energy within the body, allowing natural healing to take place. These points are selected based on years of training acupuncturists  receive based on over 5000 years of experience in China.Acupuncture helps to prevent illness by improving the overall functioning of the body's immune and  organ systems. Acupuncture is helpful for: 

• Treating existing illnesses and injuries. 
• Preventing both recurrence of illnesses and new illness. 
• Improving overall health. 

Acupuncture originated in China over 5000 years ago. It is part of the  holistic system of healing known as Traditional Chinese Medicine ("TCM").

How does Acupuncture work?
The Classical Chinese explanation is that  energy (Qi) flows in channels (meridians) throughout the body and over its  surfaces. These channels are rivers of energy which are referred to as  meridians. The Chinese have identified 12 meridians in the human body, which is  a basic energy map for all people. The meridians are often compared to a series  of interconnected highways. Each of the major organs in the body is associated  with its own meridian. Through the network of meridians the internal organs are  connected to certain areas and parts of the body including the muscles, bones,  joints, and also other organs.
The Chinese believe that health is a  manifestation of balance, both within the body itself and between the body and  the external environment. When the body is internally balanced and in harmony with the external environment, Qi flows smoothly through the meridians to  nourish the organs and tissues. If an obstruction occurs in one of the  meridians, the Qi is disrupted and cannot flow properly. When the Qi cannot flow  smoothly or is forced to flow in the opposite direction, the body's innate  balance is disrupted and illness results.
Acupuncture points are the  specific points on the meridians where the Qi is both concentrated and  accessible. Acupuncture engages the Qi by inserting needles at these specific  points, the goal being to restore the proper flow of Qi. As the body regains its  natural balance, well-being returns.

Acupuncture and Modern Science
To  the human body, acupuncture needles are a physical stimulus. In Western science, a stimulus is defined as a detectable change in either the external environment  or within the body itself. When the body detects change, it produces a response.  Although acupuncture is not yet fully understood by Western science, with modern  technology scientists can now actually begin to "see" the body's response to acupuncture. For example, using Functional MRI,researchers have shown that when  a needle is inserted at specific acupuncture points on the body, corresponding  changes occur in the brain.
Click Here to see the  Documentary Evidence of the Research

In the West, acupuncture is most  well-known for its ability to relieve pain so the majority of research thus far  has been done in this area. Acupuncture points are now believed to stimulate the  central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) to release pain-relieving  chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord and brain. Acupuncture may also  stimulate other chemicals to be released by the brain, including hormones that  influence the self-regulating system of the body.

Summary 
Traditional Chinese Medicine has been around for thousands of years, and has  provided us with a unique and holistic approach to help prevent and treat
disease. Western science and Traditional Chinese Medicine ultimately rely on the  body's natural healing ability to maintain health and protect against disease.  Both have the same goal of helping a person stay healthy. Western science tends  to use drugs and surgery as needed. Acupuncturists tend to use gentle needling  and herbs. A combination of both systems creates an ideal environment of health  and healing.

CONDITIONS TREATED WITH ACUPUNCTURE AS LISITED BY WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION -1998
DISEASES, SYMPTOMS OR CONDITIONS FOR WHICH ACUPUNCTURE HAS BEEN PROVED – THROUGH CONTROLLED TRIALS—TO BE AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT:

• ADVERSE REACTIONS TO RADIOTHERAPY AND/OR CHEMOTHERAPY
• ALLERGIC RHINITIS (INCLUDING HAY FEVER)
• BILIARY COLIC
• DEPRESSION (INCLUDING DEPRESSIVE NEUROSIS AND DEPRESSION FOLLOWING STROKE)
• DYSENTERY, ACUTE BACILLARY
• DYSMENORRHOEA, PRIMARY
• EPIGASTRALGIA, ACUTE (IN PEPTIC ULCER, ACUTE AND CHRONIC GASTRITIS, AND GASTROSPASM)
• FACIAL PAIN (INCLUDING CRANIOMANDIBULAR DISORDERS)
• HEADACHE
• HYPERTENSION, ESSENTIAL
• HYPOTENSION, PRIMARY
• INDUCTION OF LABOUR
• KNEE PAIN
• LEUKOPENIA
• LOW BACK PAIN
• MALPOSITION OF FETUS, CORRECTION OF
• MORNING SICKNESS
• NAUSEA AND VOMITING
• NECK PAIN
• PAIN IN DENTISTRY (INCLUDING DENTAL PAIN AND TEMPOROMANDIBULAR DYSFUNCTION)
• PERIARTHRITIS OF SHOULDER
• POSTOPERATIVE PAIN
• RENAL COLIC
• RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
• SCIATICA
• SPRAIN
• STROKE
• TENNIS ELBOW

DISEASES, SYMPTOMS OR CONDITIONS FOR WHICH THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECT OF ACUPUNCTURE HAS BEEN SHOWN BUT FOR WHICH FURTHER PROOF IS NEEDED:

• ABDOMINAL PAIN (IN ACUTE GASTROENTERITIS OR DUE TO GASTROINTESTINAL SPASM)
• ACNE VULGARIS
• ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE AND DETOXIFICATION
• BELL’S PALSY
• BRONCHIAL ASTHMA
• CANCER PAIN
• CARDIAC NEUROSIS
• CHOLECYSTITIS, CHRONIC, WITH ACUTE EXACERBATION
• CHOLELITHIASIS
• COMPETITION STRESS SYNDROME
• CRANIOCEREBRAL INJURY, CLOSED
• DIABETES MELLITUS, NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT
• EARACHE
• EPIDEMIC HAEMORRHAGIC FEVER
• EPISTAXIS, SIMPLE (WITHOUT GENERALIZED OR LOCAL DISEASE)
• EYE PAIN DUE TO SUBCONJUNCTIVAL INJECTION
• FEMALE INFERTILITY
• FACIAL SPASM
• FEMALE URETHRAL SYNDROME
• FIBROMYALGIA AND FASCIITIS
• GASTROKINETIC DISTURBANCE
• GOUTY ARTHRITIS
• HEPATITIS B VIRUS CARRIER STATUS
• HERPES ZOSTER (HUMAN (ALPHA) HERPESVIRUS 3)
• HYPERLIPAEMIA
• HYPO-OVARIANISM
• INSOMNIA
• LABOUR PAIN
• LACTATION, DEFICIENCY
• MALE SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION, NON-ORGANIC
• MÉNIÈRE DISEASE
• NEURALGIA, POST-HERPETIC
• NEURODERMATITIS
• OBESITY
• OPIUM, COCAINE AND HEROIN DEPENDENCE
• OSTEOARTHRITIS
• PAIN DUE TO ENDOSCOPIC EXAMINATION
• PAIN IN THROMBOANGIITIS OBLITERANS
• POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (STEIN–LEVENTHAL SYNDROME)
• POSTEXTUBATION IN CHILDREN
• POSTOPERATIVE CONVALESCENCE
• PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME
• PROSTATITIS, CHRONIC
• PRURITUS
• RADICULAR AND PSEUDORADICULAR PAIN SYNDROME
• RAYNAUD SYNDROME, PRIMARY
• RECURRENT LOWER URINARY-TRACT INFECTION
• REFLEX SYMPATHETIC DYSTROPHY
• RETENTION OF URINE, TRAUMATIC
• SCHIZOPHRENIA
• SIALISM, DRUG-INDUCED
• SJÖGREN SYNDROME
• SORE THROAT (INCLUDING TONSILLITIS)
• SPINE PAIN, ACUTE
• STIFF NECK
• TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DYSFUNCTION
• TIETZE SYNDROME
• TOBACCO DEPENDENCE
• TOURETTE SYNDROME
• ULCERATIVE COLITIS, CHRONIC
• UROLITHIASIS
• VASCULAR DEMENTIA
• WHOOPING COUGH (PERTUSSIS)

DISEASES, SYMPTOMS OR CONDITIONS FOR WHICH THERE ARE ONLY INDIVIDUAL CONTROLLED TRIALS REPORTING SOME THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS, BUT FOR WHICH ACUPUNCTURE IS WORTH TRYING BECAUSE TREATMENT BY CONVENTIONAL AND OTHER THERAPIES IS DIFFICULT:

• CHLOASMA
• CHOROIDOPATHY, CENTRAL SEROUS
• COLOUR BLINDNESS
• DEAFNESS
• HYPOPHRENIA
• IRRITABLE COLON SYNDROME
• NEUROPATHIC BLADDER IN SPINAL CORD INJURY
• PULMONARY HEART DISEASE, CHRONIC
• SMALL AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION

DISEASES, SYMPTOMS OR CONDITIONS FOR WHICH ACUPUNCTURE MAY BE TRIED PROVIDED THE PRACTITIONER HAS SPECIAL MODERN MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE AND ADEQUATE MONITORING EQUIPMENT:

• BREATHLESSNESS IN CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE
• COMA
• CONVULSIONS IN INFANTS
• CORONARY HEART DISEASE (ANGINA PECTORIS)
• DIARRHOEA IN INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN
• ENCEPHALITIS, VIRAL, IN CHILDREN, LATE STAGE
• PARALYSIS, PROGRESSIVE BULBAR AND PSEUDOBULBAR

Prepare to Visit

Preparing for Your Appointment 
In this section you will find  information on your role in the healing process. We believe strongly in educating  our patients and equipping them with the tools to sustain their health  independently whenever possible. The more you become involved with your health  and responsible for your body, the better you will feel. 

Before Your First Visit
Spend some time thinking about  what you would like to achieve from your acupuncture treatment. What are your  expectations? What questions or concerns do you have about acupuncture? Jot down  a few notes to bring with you to your first visit. The more openly we can  communicate, the better our consultant can help you. Be realistic. If you have several conditions or symptoms you would like to address,  please rank them. On your first visit, we will ask you primarily about your chief  complaint. Secondary issues will also be noted and addressed as treatment  progresses.

Start noticing how you feel each  day and make a few notes. With respect to your chief complaint, try to answer these questions:
Be as descriptive and specific as  possible. For example, "pain" and "discomfort" are very general words. Chinese  medicine recognizes subtle distinctions in different types of pain. Burning pain  is not the same as pain that has a stabbing sensation. Listed below are some  words you might use to distinguish your particular pain. 
Sharp
Dull  and achy
Constant
Burning
Contracting/Tight
Heavy
Radiating (from where?)
Intermittent
Stabbing
Distending
Numb
Pins  & needles
No feeling
Wandering
Pounding
If none of these are appropriate, try coming up with your own words. If you are having difficulty  describing your pain in words, try visualizing it or drawing a picture, and then describe what you see. 

On  the Day of Your Appointment
The following suggestions are provided to help you have a safe and relaxing  experience with acupuncture. In order to prevent from unpleasant effects, I
require my patients to adhere to certain precautions. Please read this section  carefully. If you have any questions, please contact us prior to your first
visit.

Bring  your notes and a list of current medications.

Eat a light meal prior to your visit.

Acupuncture  is not performed on individuals who are fasting. Being over-hungry increases the  risk of nausea or dizziness. At the same time, please do not overeat or eat any  foods that cause your stomach to be upset (for example, rich, greasy, fried, or  extremely spicy foods).

Avoid  alcohol on the day of  treatment.

Acupuncture  is not performed on intoxicated individuals due to the increased risk of shock.  It is also not advisable to become intoxicated shortly after
treatment.

Avoid heavy exertion (including sexual activity) immediately before and after treatment (i.e. within 2  hours).

Set  aside enough time so that you are not rushing to and from your visit. Physical  strain immediately before or after acupuncture can weaken your body. Please  schedule your activities on the day of your visit accordingly (for example, do  not schedule your appointment for an hour before your 1 hr gym class).

Wear loose, comfortable clothing that can be rolled up to your elbows or  knees.

Acupuncture points are located all  over the body. Many of the acupuncture points that are commonly used are located  between the wrists and elbows, and the ankles and knees. You will be more  comfortable if your clothing can be easily rolled up to your elbows and  knees.For Women mostly auricular(ear) points are used.

Be on time.

Be on time for your appointment so  that you may benefit fully. When you make an appointment, please understand that  time has been reserved for you.
 
What to Expect?
 Initial  Assessment Your first  visit will begin with an in-depth assessment of your condition and an initial  treatment. The intake and treatment may take up to 1 hour, depending on your  condition. Typical follow-up treatments last approximately 45-50  minutes.

During the assessment, you may be  asked about things that you might not think are connected to your chief  complaint, such as your emotions, sleeping patterns, and eating habits. Chinese  medicine considers the whole person, not just one isolated symptom. When put  together, the myriad of symptoms and signs you are experiencing reveal patterns  of disharmony. Although treatment will focus on your chief complaint, your whole  being must be considered in order to develop the most appropriate course of  treatment. Chinese medicine is unique in that it appreciates that illnesses may  be identical, but the persons suffering from them are  individuals.

Treatment? Needles  are typically retained for about 20 minutes. Soothing music may be played to  help you relax during this time - many people even fall asleep during treatment!  In addition to acupuncture, treatments may also include magneto  therapy,moxibustion therapy, herbal prescriptions, nutritional supplements, and  diet, lifestyle advice.

What  to Expect After Treatment? Your  relief may be immediate, delayed for a few hours, or even develop after one to  three days. The relief my last for a few hours on the first visit and then last  longer with each successive treatment, or relief may last from the first  treatment until your next visit. Individual response to treatment varies. 

Side Effects No Unpleasant  Side effects.

Flare-up On  rare occasions, one's original symptoms may briefly get worse, or "flare-up,"  after a treatment. A flare-up typically occurs later on the day of your  treatment and should only last for a few hours. After a flare-up, your symptoms  should begin to improve. In the long run, acupuncture does not make symptoms worse.

In  some conditions, the body must fully expel a pathogen in order for healing to  occur. For example, if you have a cold, acupuncture will not get rid of the  cold, but it can help accelerate the cold cycle so your body recovers faster. If  you are fatigued and beginning to get a cold, acupuncture can help your body  fight it off.  In cases of chronic pain, your  original pain may improve and then unmask less obvious pain in the surrounding  areas.

Course  of Treatment
 As part of your first visit, you will get a predesigned /customized treatment plan detailing an appropriate course of treatment for your specific condition. In general, acute conditions of recent onset may only require two or three treatments. Chronic conditions usually require more treatments to achieve sustained results. Treatment for Obesity,Arthritis,Low Back Pain and Sinusitis follow specific protocols, which will be discussed with you at your first visit.

The ideal approach to illness is to begin treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you seek help, the easier it is to treat. For longstanding illnesses, weekly treatments may be required for several months in order to have a curative effect. For patients planning on undergoing Allopathic treatment for Hepatitis C or fertility, it is recommended that acupuncture and/or herbal treatments be started approximately three months in advance of Allopathic treatment. However, many patients don't learn of the benefits of Chinese medicine until they are already undergoing Allopathic treatment. In that case, it is best to start acupuncture and/or herbs as soon as possible.

Once you initiate a healing process, it is important to follow through on treatments. The more consistent you are, the better the likelihood of results. The effects of acupuncture tend to be cumulative. After you are feeling better, a few additional treatments may be recommended. In Chinese medicine, this is referred to as "solidifying the constitution." The goal is to further strengthen your body to prevent recurrence of the illness. Your body is most vulnerable
following recovery from illness because it has expended much of its energy and internal resources in order to get better. It is therefore important to have a few treatments in order to prevent repeated or new illness. In general, when an illness recurs it is often more difficult to treat.

ACUPUNCTURE ALLIED THERAPIES
MOXIBUSTION THERAPY
CUPPING THERAPY
AURICULE THERAPY
ELECTRO ACUPUNCTURE THERAPY
LASER ACUPUNCTURE THERAPY 
ACUPRESSURE THERAPY
MAGNETIC ACUPRESSURE THERAPY
DERMA NEEDLING THERAPY
SCALP TAPPING THERAPY

Often some of the allied therapies may be choosen by the acupuncturist alongwith the Acupuncture Therapy for achieving results faster.