Alternative Medical Treatments Blog » Acupuncture

Meditating On Alternative Therapy

Andrew — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 21:44:40 +0000

The list of alternative therapies that are not readily or legitimately recognized by the medical community is long. Most members of traditional medical organizations like the American Medical Association would never recommend treatments like herbal therapy, homeopathy, or acupuncture to their patients. But what is surprising is that in recent years more and more traditional medical practitioners have pushed their patients to practice meditation.

Meditation is recommended to a very wide variety of patients suffering from any number of symptoms and illnesses. For example, patients with chronic pain from severe illnesses like cancer or arthritis often will practice meditation to alter the brain’s perception of pain. Patients with emotional disorders, like Generalized Anxiety Disorder, are often prescribed meditation as a way to calm the mind during severe anxiety attacks. Other benefits of meditation are heightened self-awareness and observation as well as relaxation and concentration.

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The History of Acupuncture

Andrew — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:33:20 +0000

The father of Chinese medicine, Shen Nung, is thought to be the first person to have theorized about circulation in the human body. These theories were compiled approximately 5000 years ago, and led to the development of acupuncture.

Shen Nung developed the idea of the Qi, an energy force that flows through the human body. This energy travels through channels called Meridians which run all through the body. The theory is that when the Qi is not flowing correctly, the human body experiences illness. This incorrect flow can be caused by blocked Meridians which causes unbalanced Qi. In order to reestablish the flow of Qi, certain points of the body where the Meridians contact the surface of the skin must be manipulated. These points are accessed through the insertion of needles into the skin, a practice known as acupuncture.

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Reflexology: Agony of De-Feet (and Hands)

Andrew — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:39:48 +0000

Reflexology is a fascinating practice that involves massage-like therapies on the body to induce specific physical responses in the patient. Reflexologists use pressure and rubbing techniques much like massage therapists do. But the reflexologist is limited to the hands and feet, where a massage therapist concentrates on the entire body.

Reflexologists go by reflexology charts to pinpoint specific parts of the feet and hands that are linked to specific parts of the body. Reflexology charts are much like the charts used by acupuncturists. And this makes sense in part because some reflexologists are trying to change a patient’s Qi, much in the same way acupuncturists do. Like acupuncture and to some degree, massage therapy, there is little conclusive scientific evidence of the efficacy of reflexology. But this does not stop people from seeking the treatment for mild and sometimes even severe illnesses.

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What Can I Treat With Iridology?

Andrew — Mon, 11 May 2009 18:33:20 +0000

There is a very simple answer for the above question: nothing. Iridology, which is a branch of alternative therapy that focuses on the eyes as a way of determining a patient’s health, is used for assessment only. It is a common misconception that Iridology is actually a practice used for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions.

Probably one of the biggest reasons that Iridology is often misunderstood is because most of the other forms of alternative medicine and therapy are actually treatments: acupuncture, herbal therapy, and homeopathy are a few of these treatment options. But Iridology is simply the study of the patient’s eyes to estimate current illnesses and to attempt to foresee any future illnesses. Once a patient has seen an Iridologist, he or she should seek more conclusive diagnosis from another medical professional, and then an appropriate treatment suggested by that same practitioner.

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Poking and Prodding: The Practice of Acupuncture

Andrew — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:30:24 +0000

While acupuncture may seem almost barbaric to Western observers, it is in fact more firmly established and much older than any of the Western style medical treatments available today. This 5000 year old medical procedure has had a lot more development and study than any of the most trusted medical treatments in existence.

There are six commonly used types of acupuncture needles. Each of these types varies in size and shape; some have wider shafts, some have differently shaped heads. The needles are inserted at different angles to the skin surface; the different angles produce different effects in the body. The practitioner then applies a special technique to the needle: rotation, raising and thrusting, a combination of these two techniques, or vibration. Like the type of needle, insertion point and angle of insertion, the type of technique used depends on the desired effect.

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