What Is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an age-old healing practice of traditional Chinese medicine in which thin needles are placed at specific points in the body. It’s primarily used to relieve pain but also has been used to treat other conditions. More than 3 million Americans use acupuncture, but it is even more popular in other countries. In France, for example, one in five people has tried acupuncture.

How Acupuncture Works

Acupuncture seeks to release the flow of the body’s vital energy or “chi” by stimulating points along 14 energy pathways. Scientists say the needles cause the body to release endorphins — natural painkillers — and may boost blood flow and change brain activity. Skeptics say acupuncture works only because people believe it will, an effect called the placebo effect.

Does Acupuncture Hurt?

Acupuncture needles are very thin, and most people feel no pain or very little pain when they are inserted. They often say they feel energized or relaxed after the treatment. However, the needles can cause temporary soreness.

Acupoint: Other Pain

People have tried acupuncture for neck pain, muscle pain, tennis elbow, and menstrual cramps, hoping to avoid medicines and their side effects. The World Health Organization lists 28 different conditions that are sometimes treated with acupuncture. In the U.S., a review by the National Institutes of Health called for robust research to verify the promise that acupuncture holds for many different conditions.

A Boost for Pain Medicine

Acupuncture may provide added pain relief when it’s used along with pain medicine or another therapies, such as massage. Acupuncture can reduce the need for medicine and can improve the quality of life of people with chronic pain.

Acupoint: Nausea

Acupuncture at the pericardium (P6) acupuncture point on the wrist can reduce the symptoms of nausea and vomiting, even after cancer drug treatments or surgery. Studies compared 10 different acupuncture methods — including needles, electrical stimulation, and acupressure — to medicines that block nausea or vomiting and found the acupuncture treatments worked.

Acupuncture and Cancer Care

Because acupuncture can lessen pain, nausea, and vomiting, it is sometimes used to help people cope with symptoms of cancer or chemotherapy. It also can help manage hot flashes associated with breast cancer. Be sure to talk to your doctor first and seek a practitioner who has experience working with cancer patients.

When to Consider Acupuncture

Because acupuncture rarely causes more than mild side effects, it is a potential alternative to pain medications or steroid treatments. It is also considered a “complementary” medicine that can be used along with other treatments. It is best to discuss the use of acupuncture with your health care provider.

Acupuncture Risks

Although acupuncture is generally safe and serious problems are rare, there are some risks. Needles that are not sterile can cause infection. In some acupuncture points, needles inserted too deeply can puncture the lungs or gallbladder or cause problems with your blood vessels. That is why it is important to use a practitioner who is well-trained in acupuncture.

Who Shouldn’t Use Acupuncture

People with bleeding disorders or who take blood thinners may have increased risk of bleeding. Electrical stimulation of the needles can cause problems for people with pacemakers or other electrical devices. Pregnant women should talk with their health care provider before having acupuncture. It’s important not to skip conventional medical care or rely on acupuncture alone to treat diseases or severe pain.

Choosing a Practitioner

It is important to receive treatment from someone who has met standards for education and training in acupuncture. States vary in their licensing requirements. There are national organizations that maintain standards, such as the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (a physician group) or the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Make sure that your practitioner uses sterile needles that are thrown away after one use.

Acupuncture Variations

Several other therapies use a different way of stimulating the acupuncture points. Moxibustion involves the burning of moxa, a bundle of dried mugwort and wormwood leaves, which can then be used to heat the acupuncture needles or warm the skin. Electroacupuncture adds electrical stimulation to the needles. Another recent variation uses laser needles that are placed o

Acupressure vs. Acupuncture

If you are afraid of needles, you may be able to get much of the same effect from acupressure. Acupressure involves pressing or massaging the acupuncture points to stimulate the energy pathways. Scientific comparisons of acupressure and acupuncture are limited, but acupressure has been shown to be effective in reducing nausea and lessening labor pain.

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For years we have been hearing results of surveys that have told us that minimal drinking actually has a positive effect on your health. One glass of red wine per day is, or was, supposed to be beneficial on several different levels. Unfortunately to drink or not to drink is becoming a difficult question to answer, especially since the latest studies have linked even a little drinking of alcohol to an increase in developing certain types of cancer.

In one of these studies, researchers have found that women who have one drink per day have an overall higher risk of developing certain types of cancers such as breast, liver, rectum, throat, mouth and esophagus cancers. In the meantime, there are several different studies from the past that have shown heart health and alcohol have a positive relationship.

So, what does this mean? Who do you believe? While some experts disagree on some answers, they do agree that anyone with a dependency issue with regards to alcohol and women who are pregnant should not drink alcohol. Following are some opinions they have on general health and alcohol consumption.

The research on health and alcohol use suggests some harm and some benefit. Studies show a link to breast and liver cancer with the consumption of alcohol as well as to other cancers. Reduction of alcohol intake can reduce your incidence of head, neck, and colorectal cancer, but there seems to be a benefit of alcohol and heart health.

Doctor Arthur Klatsky, former practicing cardiologist and now a investigator for research, says that there isn’t one answer for everyone. “It must be individualized according to a specific person and it is crucial to take into consideration age, sex, specific medical conditions, and family history. There is not a one size fits all answer.”

For example, a 60 year old man who has given up smoking but has a family history of heart attacks, a less than ideal cholesterol level and no dependency issues with alcohol decides to have a glass of wine per day with dinner…well he would be better off continuing this practice.

On the other hand, a 25 year old, health conscious woman with no risk for heart disease, who drinks very little should not boost her wine intake just for heart health. It just isn’t going to do any good for 40-50 years. For men 40 and older and women 50 and older there are benefits from alcohol for heart health with moderate drinking. Moderate drinking is defined as one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

Considering alcohol and cancer risk only, studies show new potential links and studies have shown the link for many decades. There seems to be a clear link to alcohol consumption and cancer of the head and neck, especially among cigarette smokers.

“We can confidently say that even moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a modestly higher risk for breast and colorectal cancer. If you don’t drink there is no reason to start. If you are someone who drinks and you’re a woman, limit drinking to one a day; if a man, to two a day” says Susan Gapstur, PhD, MPH and V/P for epidemiology for the American Cancer Society, Atlanta. If you are at a high risk for cancer you may want to limit yourself to less than that.

A family history of certain types of cancers, such as breast, head or neck may be a good reason to limit your intake or to consider abstaining from drinking alcohol all together, with the exceptions of special occasions. This advice is equally for both men and women. Alcohol combined with tobacco especially boosts the risk for head and neck cancers. However, those with a family history of only heart disease may do well with moderate drinking as it seems to be a benefit.

Research is showing that there does indeed seem to be a gender gap with developing or increasing your risk to getting cancer, but experts tend to disagree on to the extent of this. For example, even light to moderate drinking is associated with female breast cancer but for men light to moderate drinking doesn’t seem to have any effect on an increased risk to cancer. It is not protective, but it will not increase the risk. This is generally true, but living in an area that has high pollutant levels may also pose an increased risk of cancer.

When all is said and done we have to read the evidence, study the science and look at our own individual situation, health and history to determine what is best for us. The research seems to point out there is no exact science that can determine that one drink per day is fine for everyone. Nothing is safe for everyone but there is a sensible level of drinking that must be tailored to the individual. Sensible does not mean “saving” them up and then drinking a weeks worth of alcohol in two days. That is considered binge drinking and is not considered healthy for anyone.

Is it better to drink a little each day or just twice or three times a week? Experts do not agree on this either some saying, to be on the safe side a glass of wine twice a week whereas others say just a little each day is healthier. Again, do what you need to do to get this right for you as an individual.

The original article, which has been rewritten, came from the website Web-MD.

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