What is Acupuncture

Acupuncture: In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are protocols acupuncture for treating or preventing a variety of conditions. See the many indications in the section Research on acupuncture .

Acupuncture, what is it?

The acupuncture is one of the five branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with the Chinese diet , the Chinese medicine (herbs), the Tui Na massage and energy exercises ( Qi Gong and Tai Chi ). Acupuncture is based on an energy approach and holistic. According to the Eastern medical thought, it acts on the Qi (pronounced chee ) which circulates in the body through the meridians . Needles inserted in the skin surface stimulates specific acupuncture points to regulate the Qi and physiological functions, organic and psychic targeted. In Western terms, we could say that it helps to strengthen the processes of self-regulation and healing that are normally in motion when the body undergoes an attack (caused by a virus, stress, injury, etc.).. There is a detailed map of acupuncture points and meridians as well as their role to restore the health and balance of the patient.

According to TCM, the acupuncture can treat, often in tandem with other practices, a variety of "imbalances" related, among others, musculoskeletal system ( arthritis , tendonitis , bursitis), respiratory ( bronchitis , asthma ), gastrointestinal tract (kidney, diarrhea ), nervous system ( depression , stress ), etc.. It also helps to relieve various common ailments ( headaches , colds , nausea), but it can not cure certain serious diseases or correct genetic defects.

The acupuncture could also play an important role in the prevention of disease. Maximizing the functional activity of the viscera and the movement of substances , it would balance all body systems. This would result in preventing the disease find fertile ground to implement.

If you are not familiar with the concepts Chinese energy , see our fact sheet on Traditional Chinese Medicine that will give you a good overview of the fundamental principles on which are based the acupuncture and TCM.



The first consultation
At the first visit to the acupuncturist , do not expect to see him appear needles in hands with a smirk ... Acupuncture is a highly elaborate and methodical discipline, based on thousands of years of practice. First, the therapist assesses the state of health of the person and detects its energy imbalances. To do this, it uses the observation , the palpations and questionnaires detailed. It may ask you or even climates the flavors you prefer - additional clues to corroborate his assessment. It takes note of your medical history and your characteristics (height, weight, complexion, breathing rhythm, tone of voice, movement, emotion, etc.).. It examines the pulse and tongue, listening to the sounds of the stomach, body odors and is auscultates sore spots associated meridians.

Tingling deep relaxation
In general, the treatment effect of acupuncture is relaxing. Even if the needles are, at first sight, uninspiring, they are rarely wrong. They are only 3 times bigger than a human hair and are designed to fit into the skin without resistance. Typically, the acupuncturist uses needles 1 to 15, it leaves on different points for 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the problem at hand. We compare the sensation caused by the needle to a mosquito bite. But sometimes it is more pronounced, ranging from tingling to numbness light or an electric shock. Usually, these sensations last time, however, that insertion of the needle. In fact, some people fall asleep during the session!

There is not the needles
To enhance the effects of treatment, acupuncturists may use complementary processes. They can, for example, print movements rotation needles for amplifying stimulation. For more details, see our section 101 Chinese medicine.

- The moxibustion is to apply, on the needles or above the acupuncture points, the heat generated by combustion of a cone or a stick of moxa (mugwort), dried grass.
- The Ba Guan Zi are suckers that are fixed on a point or is dragged along a meridian.
- The Pi Fu Zhen , also called plum blossom resembles a small hammer with needles which strikes the surface lightly to the skin.
- The electrostimulation can apply a mild electrical current to the needles. It is often used to combat pain. But it is also used when you want to get stronger stimulation than that obtained by simple manipulation of needles.
- There are different schools of thought in acupuncture . Koreans, for example, insert the needles only the hands and feet, while other acupuncturists implanting only in the ears, especially when it comes to treating addictive disorders. In Japan, the traditional approach is to stimulate energy points more by touch ( acupressure ) with needles. Practice is constantly evolving and new styles emerge regularly.

If the sight of a needle makes you dizzy, acupuncture laser (which uses laser light directed precisely) could be an attractive alternative. This technique is particularly useful to people whose treatment requires prolonged stimulation and with children .

A long journey to the West
The Chinese medicine have been born 6000 years ago. It was the Jesuits who were the first to have brought Chinese writings on acupuncture at the end of the XVII th century. At the beginning of XIX th century France, the great names of medicine became interested. It is, however, under the leadership of Georges Soulie de Morant (1878-1955), Consul of France in Beijing for more than 12 years, acupuncture took a considerable growth in Europe from the 1920s.

In Quebec, acupuncture has gradually been introduced through European practitioners. It is a profession officially recognized since 1985. In the United States it was not until 1972 that the approach has caught the attention of the public in the wake of President Nixon's historic visit to China. In 1997, acupuncture has been officially recognized as a therapeutic option for safe and effective in the treatment of certain conditions at a conference organized by the National Institutes of Health U.S..

Therapeutic applications of acupuncture
Evaluate the acupuncture based on objective criteria and reproducible modern Western science has proved far disappointing process. The main reasons for this state of affairs are the difficulties of "standardization" of the disease, the overall effect rather than specific acupuncture, methodological problems of placebo acupuncture, the multiplicity of techniques and schools of thought the lack of funding, the fact that the majority of studies are published in Asian languages ​​and the low quality of much research. Several papers have also been published on this subject. For more details, see the article Acupuncture: the challenges of assessment "Western".

There is therefore a gap between what the acupuncture claims to treat, particularly in China and Japan, and has been evaluated so far in the context of scientific studies meet Western standards.

Research
Counter the nausea and vomiting associated with surgery and chemotherapy.since 1997, several research groups and committees concluded that the effectiveness of acupuncture for these uses, compared to placebo treatment.

Regarding nausea and vomiting post-surgery , the results are particularly well established. In 2008, a systematic review of 15 randomized clinical trials including 1,166 subjects, showed a significant decrease in the risk of nausea, vomiting and use of antivomitif following acupuncture treatment. In addition, a greater reduction in pain post-surgery was observed 8 and 72 hours after surgery in the acupuncture group compared with the control group.

Treat migraine. A systematic review published in 2009 and revised in 2011, has evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating migraine . Twenty-two randomized trials including 4419 subjects were included. The researchers concluded that acupuncture was as effective as conventional pharmacological treatments, while causing less harmful side effects. She also prove a useful adjunct to conventional treatments.

Dentistry: analgésier and postoperative pain relief . Acupuncture is widely used in dentistry and can be used as a primary or supplementary analgesic treatment. Results of randomized trials of its analgesic effects against pain post-surgery were positive. A systematic review of 16 controlled trials demonstrating a clear majority of positive results.
Moreover, according to the results of a systematic review of 14 randomized trials, acupuncture is effective for treating temporomandibular disorders.

Relieve pain epicondylalgia side (tennis elbow). Although acupuncture is widely used to relieve pain associated with various joint disorders , until recently the scientific data do not allow to rule on its effectiveness for treating ' epicondylalgia ( tennis elbow). However, in 2004, the authors of a systematic review of six randomized clinical trials involving a total of 282 patients found that acupuncture was effective in relieving pain associated with epicondylalgia side.

Relieve nausea and vomiting, especially those associated with pregnancy . The antiemetic general (against nausea and vomiting) of acupuncture is widely shown. More specifically, a randomized placebo-controlled conducted with 36 pregnant women showed that it was effective during pregnancy.

Relieve menstrual pain . In 2011, a meta-analysis of six clinical trials concluded that acupuncture relieves pain more effectively than did placebo, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or Chinese herbs 31 . However, the authors are cautious in their conclusions and believe that more studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of this approach. National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States 2 and the World Health Organization (WHO) recognize that there is some evidence of the effectiveness of acupuncture in relieving menstrual pain .

Various
The World Health Organization (WHO) published in 2002 a list of conditions for which acupuncture was likely to be effective This list was based on controlled clinical studies identified in the literature. More than 300 systematic reviews have been published since that time.They identified new conditions for which acupuncture may be effective, but it has been scientifically established beyond any doubt.