Acupuncture
By Simm Gottesman, C.A.
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
The theory of traditional Chinese medicine is totally different from that of Western Medicine and has a unique system of its own: Acupuncture is an important component of Traditional Chinese Medicine and can help prevent and treat diseases by stimulating certain points on the body with needles, pressure and or heat and electricity.
The principles of acupuncture have been used for over five thousand years in the Orient and have also been used more recently in various European countries; with America being the last of our major countries in the world to accept and use its principles.
American doctors have been visiting China, Japan, Korea and other countries through the years and have benefited from their research and literature on the subject. Unfortunately, their information has not been shared with the general public, leaving it with various misconceptions about acupuncture. The word acupuncture seems to elicit a negative response from most Americans, due to the very fact of the lack of proper publicity and information regarding acupuncture.
There have been instances when I have disclosed to people the fact that I am a certified acupuncturist and their response, very seriously, was: "You'd better stay away from me with those needles. I'd rather remain ill or live with my pain, rather than get stuck with needles. I can't stand needles." Of course, this is the reaction of a person who has never seen an acupuncture needle.
Unfortunately, the most publicized part of acupuncture is those mysterious "needles." Whoever was responsible for translating the concepts describing the tools and their usage into English from the Chinese language committed a great injustice to a very powerful ancient healing art. Acupuncture "needles" should have never been called "needles."
They are not similar to the classic hypodermics such as we know, which are used by western medicine for the purpose of administering drugs. They are not hollow and they do not inject chemicals or drugs into the body. Most acupuncturists never see even a trace of blood from their patients during the insertion or removal of the needles. It is fortunate that no one thought to call these "needles," "acupuncture wires" or "acupuncture rods," instead.
The fact that they are called needles, seems to deter so many people from asking what acupuncture can do. So many western minds can't seem to get past the image of the "human pin cushion" and therefore, out of fear, limit their own awareness and personal potential for health, wholistically...so what's the point of these needles? What can they do? Why are they used so extensively in other parts of the world? There must be a reason why the most heavily populated country in the world has preserved and continues to practice this healing art, which is thousands of years old; using it in their modern, present-day hospitals in conjunction with contemporary western medicine.
You may ask why our western doctors are not practicing acupuncture extensively, on a wide scale...It takes time! It takes only five seconds for a doctor to write a prescription for a drug to subdue our pain, while an acupuncture treatment takes time. This appears to be one of the main reasons why it is not so readily accepted by our medical profession in the West. Consider also that there are over a thousand acupuncture points on the body that can be used as treatment points. The theory that our bodies can heal themselves is a foreign concept today. Western minds believe that without the intake of drugs there is no cure. If you have a qualified, expert acupuncturist, treatments are time-consuming and individually-designed for each specific person. Our Western minds are designed to believe that we can share the drugs prescribed for our particular illness with others. Believing that our bodies and illnesses are all basically the same..."Do you have a sore throat? Here, why don't you take my medication. It's what my doctor gave me last time I had a problem with a sore throat." Acupuncture doesn't work like that. Each person is considered unique. What causes back pains for two different people is possibly caused by two very different factors, and they are not necessarily treated in the same way. Acupuncturists believe that our emotions are deeply and intimately connected to our physical bodies and this relationship is, in many cases, a causative factor in many illnesses. An acupuncturist treats wholistically and the whole person must be considered. This approach and method would be far to time consuming for a Western doctor to practice, especially in a hospital, considering our established, present-day system used in institutions devoted to health.
There is a definite electrical flow of energy in our bodies. An example of this is seen when, for instance, "ghosts" or images of people are seen through laser photography when pictures are taken in empty supermarkets, theatres, or public places when the occupants of these sites have already left. The Chinese call this flow of energy in the human body "QUI" (pronounced CHI). This QUI circulates in the human body and helps keep all organs functioning and interacting in balance when the body is well. The QUI has a distinct pattern outlined by acupuncture points which are divided into "meridians." These meridians can be manipulated and stimulated to help relieve pain, by causing the body to produce its own natural pain-killing substances known as "endorphins." Also, acupuncture can relieve symptoms of organ and nerve problems. Knowing where the acupuncture points are and where meridians are located in their inter-relationships is what makes it possible to unlock flows of energy and wake up certain body functions needed for healing.
The acupuncturist cannot foresee the length of time involved specifically, in regard to a complete cure anymore than the Western doctor can. An acupuncture treatment can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on the individual patient's needs. The number of acupuncture treatments needed is also an individual requirement, depending again, on the severity of the patient's problems. Some of my patients have become better immediately after one treatment, with others requiring several treatments.
One patient called me back a few days after her first treatment, almost hysterical. "What did you do to me! The pain in my legs is gone and the skin rash has disappeared!" I explained to her that I really didn't do anything to her; that her own body healed itself. I was only the catalyst which helped her body begin the healing process. Inertly, I imagine she assumed that I had used some type of sorcery, since her mind could apparently not accept the fact of her rapid recovery. She was unsuccessful for quite some time in seeking other types of cures which did not alleviate her condition.
Some people, although they are consciously not aware of it, are suffering from a deeply-rooted psychological problem, do not want to be helped and prefer to be ill. This is the type who will normally begin acupuncture treatment and give up before complete treatment or before they begin to see and feel the results. The person with the ultimate control over our bodies and our health is ourself, so when I am asked how long will it take to get better, I usually answer with the question: "How long did it take you to get sick?"
Last updated on 07/27/07 11:59 AM
