The History of Acupuncture

Acupuncture comes from two Latin words namely "acus" which means needle in English and "pungere" which means prick. Its history originated in China more than 2000 years ago and has evolved into various forms.

Some of the techniques of acupuncture do not even use needles anymore. Vibrating objects, ultrasound and even the fingers of the practitioner have taken some of the work to make the person feel better.

The history of acupuncture is first discussed in an ancient Chinese medical text called the "Huang Di Nei Jing" or The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine.

But there have been a few who are skeptic as archaeologists have found a 5,000 year old mummy in the Alps with similar acupuncture points in the body. This gives some people the idea that it was used even before the Chinese did but sine there is no written text to prove that, no one is certain and credit to this ancient practice goes back to the Chinese.

In the 6th century, this knowledge moved to Japan. In the 17th century, a man by the name of Waichi Sugiyama wanted to make this procedure painless for the patient so he developed the insertion tube, a small cylindrical tube through which the needle is inserted. Believe it or not, this technique is still being used today.

But acupuncture only reached the US in the early 80's with the establishment of a regulatory board called the National Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. As a result, various schools have been built and those who want to become licensed acupuncturists are now able to practice their profession.

Despite that, there were a lot of people who are not yet convinced on the positive effects of alternative forms of medication. It was only in 1995 that the US Food and Drug Administration decided to classify the needles used for acupuncture as medical instruments and assured the public that they are both safe and effective.

To further promote acupuncture, the NIH or National Institute of Health in 1997 has stated that this technique is very useful in treating various health conditions. These include ear, nose, throat, respiratory, gastrointestinal, eye, nervous system and muscular disorders. In some cases, acupuncture is able to prevent some of them from happening.

This was further strengthened by the fact that the side effects of acupuncture are much less than that of conventional drugs that are being sold by pharmaceutical companies.

So that people can avail of acupuncture, another recommendation by the NIH is for US companies to provide full coverage for certain conditions. If you do not quality, perhaps there is partial coverage which you should look up in your policy.

But despite that, more research needs to be done to see its effects on other health related problems. Some examples of these include addictions, autism, chronic low back pain, migraines and osteoarthritis of the knee.

If you look at the history of acupuncture, not much has changed since the needle technique used back then is still being used today. Even if various forms have developed through the years, one thing for sure is that it works. In order for you to see how effective it is, you have to see a specialist who is not only qualified to treat your condition but also one is well trained.
The History of Acupuncture
By Carlos Montenegro

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Acupuncture and Herbs For Hair Loss (Alopecia)

Hair loss is a condition that can start from a very young age, in one's 20's or even earlier. Male-pattern hair loss is extremely common. It can lead to partial or complete baldness. Female-pattern hair loss is ordinarily confined to thinning of the hair in the front and crown regions. Some causes of hair loss can be stress, thinking too much or family heredity. Feelings of anxiety and self-consciousness may be present.

Using acupuncture and herbs is a safe and effective way to help hair growth. I have had some success with hair loss cases in my clinic. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (T.C.M.), the differentiation mainly falls into two types: deficiency (blood and kidney) or damp heat stagnation. I combine acupuncture with herbs (both oral and external) and it works well for most clients.

The main acupuncture points are G5, 7,20, Du16, 19, Yi Ming, and St8. The treatment is given once a week or more often. Also at home everyday the client can use a seven star needle and tap the bald patch or scalp where the hair is thinning.

Many herbs can nourish the hair and help hair growth such as: He Shou Wu, Nu Zhen Zi, Han Lian Cao, Shuan Ye, Dang Gui, Shu Di Huang, etc... Herbal tea is made from the herbs and taken orally. I also make herbal tincture for topical application, especially for use with the seven star needle. The above treatment promotes scalp blood circulation. It not only helps hair growth but may also prevent graying of hair. New hair growth can be seen after two to three months of treatment.

Let me share a case study with you. C.C., male, 33 His initial visit was 10-24-96. He has had a hair loss problem for about 20 years. He had partial hair loss when he was a teenager. He had been taking steroid hormones both orally and topically. The condition was worsening during the past couple of years. His symptoms included partial hair loss and thinning of hair. For six months one bald patch, about egg size, was located on the right side of his temple. He was often nervous and suffered from headaches. His tongue was bigger than normal, slightly red in color with a white coat. His pulses were thin and weak. The differentiation was damp-heat stagnation and blood kidney deficiency. I made him herbal tea as a daily supplement, gave an herbal tincture for topical use and performed acupuncture. The office visit was scheduled for once a week. I first observed new hair growth in the bald patch at his 8th visit. The bald patch was getting smaller daily. Three months later the patch was completely filled with new hair. The new hair has remained well and is healthy. During the last five years he has been on a maintenance program and he is satisfied with the result.

So far Western medicine doesn't have a good method to treat hair loss. Some doctors will prescribe steroid hormones (both oral and local) to control the condition. It won't solve the problem, and you may experience bad side effects including weight gain, bone weakness, diabetes, etc. Long-term steroid use can cause medical problems and people should be careful about using them.

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