Health Intuitive

Insomnia is caused by discordant cycles within the body. When afflicted by it, people tend to experience inability to sleep. When the body is deprived of sleep, it busies itself by producing the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline, which in turn leads to edginess and frustration. One problem that often contributes to sleep deprivation is when people are awake they tend to drink more coffee and tea that further aggravates the problem of sleeplessness because of the caffeine that is found in these drinks.

One alternative treatment used to treat people suffering from insomnia is Chinese Manhattan acupuncture, which is a holistic approach to the problem rather than the more traditional forms of treatment. Acupuncture is an ancient healing method which is done using very fine needles that are inserted into particular body surface points and these points lie along the meridians, which are the energy conduits in the body according to Chinese medicine. When stimulated through acupuncture, physical and mental changes that are beneficial are brought about.

Since ancient times, Chinese medicine has acknowledged the existence of more than one form of insomnia. They also believe that each different form of insomnia warrants a different form of treatment. These treatments are comprised of several combinations of stimulating the meridians together with different formulas of herbal medicines. Healing of insomnia through acupuncture is usually customized to meet the individual’s needs and every individual is considered unique in Chinese medicine, there are many variants of treatments as there are people that suffer from insomnia.

It is a holistic method that incorporates the purpose of the body and mind balancing emotional and mental sufferings effectively and naturally. There are certain points in our body that can sedate the person enough to make him feel sleepy. When this procedure is performed the acupuncture needles are applied to certain points of the body and these points are found in the wrists, ear and between eyebrows. In placing the acupuncture needles in these points, it sends series of signals to the brain, which promotes relaxation and sleep. The whole concept of acupuncture rests on balancing the human body’s “chi” or life energy to augment the physical, mental and spiritual health. The best time for acupuncture treatment is in late afternoon for a person that suffers from insomnia. Acupuncture is a treatment that has little or no pain as the needles are inserted the patient should feel no more than a prick like that of a mosquito bite.

Along with this treatment other changes are made that are incorporated with the use of acupuncture needles and these are the consumption of caffeine which is restricted during the course of treatment and in place of drinks with caffeine custom-made herbal medicines are taken. There are also changes made in the patient’s daily routine to facilitate maximum benefit of the treatment.

The Chinese acupuncture treatments for patients with insomnia would usually last approximately twenty or thirty minutes once or twice a week. It will only take a short amount of time until the patient begins to see results with this type of treatment.

With low level laser Manhattan acupuncture, there are no specific treatment protocols available. The practitioner only needs a vast knowledge about Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM to be a successful provider of laser acupuncture.

When it comes to studying acupuncture, the scope of its study shouldn’t be limited alone with laser acupuncture. It is recommended that adding a collection of acupuncture modalities like micro-amps electrical stimulation, acupuncture needles, cupping, moxibustion, ion pumping cords, magnet therapies, etc. is more advantageous in practicing acupuncture.

The Works of Laser Acupuncture

Low-level laser acupuncture is known to be a complex practice. This is due to the fact that there is no single laser that will practically do everything. Aside from that, it is not recommended to use specific lasers. Licensed acupuncturists can learn more about laser acupuncture by purchasing publications about the latest studies conducted on the subject.

Laser acupuncture has many technical considerations. For non-invasive and painless laser acupuncture, a practitioner can start working with Class lllb lasers of five to 500 mW. When it comes to actually burning the skin, this can be achieved with Class IV laser or more than 500 mW. Laser acupuncture primarily works with wavelengths in the red-beam ranging from 600-700 nm and near the infrared-beam ranging from 800-1000 nm.

The red-beam laser only has a shallow penetration of around 0.8 of one mm direct energy commonly used on the acupuncture points of the foot, hand, face and the ear. It is fine to use on the shallow Jing-Well points of the foot like on the bladder 67 for breech position approximately five minutes per day. This would be during the last weeks of pregnancy which has an 85% rate of success according to Dr. Jin.

The wavelength of the red-beam laser is around 600-700 nm which and perhaps less than 500 mW. It is important to know that facts before starting to use lasers. Questions like “how many joules do you need to use?” and “how many joules exactly per cm square?” To have approximately 4.59 joules per cm square, a 5 mW laser lecture pointer pen is required with a minimum of three minutes exposure time on acupuncture points. To have an inflammatory effect and improved circulation would start at a minimum of 4 joules per cm square. This is effective for wound healing and treating post herpetic neuralgia and the early stages of alopecia areata or hair loss.

For treating deeper acupuncture points, an infrared laser of about 800-1000 wavelength would be needed. The infrared lasers have a deeper effect of up to one inch or so. Information about laser acupuncture is available on books and even on the internet that shows various studies to support it’s effectively. This may be a rather complex topic but definite knowledge and information can remedy that problem.

Before understanding what Manhattan acupuncture acupressure is, it is important to know the difference first between acupuncture and acupressure? Basically the primary difference between acupuncture and acupressure is that the first involves the use of needles when addressing health concerns. Acupressure on the other hand doesn’t involve breaking the skin. But despite their difference, these two forms of holistic medicine have something in common. Both of these methods touch the meridians that carry the chi or energy throughout the body. In TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine, ailments are believed to have been caused by blockages of the energy or chi somewhere in the 14 meridians. So acupuncture acupressure is a combination of two techniques that encourages the flow of energy to flow freely once again. This is most commonly used to treat arthritis, allergies, depression, migraine headaches, nausea, anxiety and menstrual cramps. This is according to the TCM philosophy.

As the word suggest, acupuncture punctures the skin using very thin and long needles. The needles used do not resemble the needles commonly seen in a western doctor’s office. Acupuncture needles are flexible lengths of disposable needles and they are made up of hypoallergenic, sterile metal that only trained acupuncturist can insert it beneath the skin, muscle or tissue. Acupuncture doesn’t hurt at all as long as the procedure is executed properly. The purpose of this treatment is that the needles must reach certain points called pressure points to break up the blockages of chi.

Acupressure can be different from acupuncture in terms of application of the technique. Acupuncture has to be performed by a practitioner experience in TCM. More than a few pressure points are accessed at the same time in specific combinations. The patient usually disrobes since the acupuncturists needs to reach the bare skin.

Anyone can learn acupressure and it can be achieved by reading a handbook about pressure points that relieve discomforts. It is even possible for you to perform miniature massages on yourself. It is believed to relieve dehydration if you massage the muscle located between your index finger and thumb. It even eases motion sickness if you press a spot inside your forearm. An acupressurist only touches two or maybe one points at a time since they use their thumbs, fingers, palms and elbows. This can technique can be administered through loose clothing this is similar to massage.

Acupressure is believed to be older than acupuncture and it has started way back in 2500 BCE in China. Acupressure and acupuncture have been evaluated by the standards of western medicine and there are studies conducted that show they are effective.

Generally, since acupuncture tool is so thins it requires much accuracy therefore giving quicker relief. Acupressure on the other hand is less precise since it involves the use of wide tool like the fingers and if this form of treatment is rushed, this could result side effects since the muscles will be realigned and toxins were released.

Manhattan Acupuncture is particularly effective for pain relief and for post surgery and chemotherapy associated nausea and vomiting. In addition, both the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health recognize that acupuncture can be a helpful part of a treatment plan for many illnesses. A partial list includes: addiction (such as alcoholism), asthma, bronchitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, facial tics, fibromyalgia, headaches, irregular menstrual cycles, polycystic ovarian syndrome, low back pain, menopausal symptoms, menstrual cramps, osteoarthritis, sinusitis, spastic colon (often called irritable bowel syndrome), stroke rehabilitation, tendonitis, tennis elbow, and urinary problems such as incontinence. You can safely combine acupuncture with prescription drugs and other conventional treatments, but it is important for your primary care physician to be aware of and monitor how your acupuncture treatment may be affecting your conventional therapies.

The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture also lists a wide range of conditions for which acupuncture is appropriate. In addition to those listed above, they recommend acupuncture for sports injuries, sprains, strains, whiplash, neck pain, sciatica, nerve pain due to compression, overuse syndromes similar to carpal tunnel syndrome, pain resulting from spinal cord injuries, allergies, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), sore throat (called pharyngitis), high blood pressure, gastro esophageal reflux (felt as heartburn or indigestion), ulcers, chronic and recurrent bladder and kidney infections, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), infertility, endometriosis, memory problems, insomnia, multiple sclerosis, sensory disturbances, depression, anxiety, and other psychological disorders.

In general, acupuncture is safe and well tolerated. One large study found only 43 minor adverse events associated with 34,407 acupuncture treatments. No serious adverse effects were reported. Some health care providers may avoid treatment during pregnancy. Others may be very competent in treating patients who are pregnant. There are certain points that are contraindicated during pregnancy; however other points are thought to benefit pregnancy. Make sure your acupuncture practitioner is competent in addressing the question of risks and benefits of acupuncture during pregnancy before receiving treatment. You should inform your acupuncturist about any treatments or medications you are taking and all medical conditions you have. According to some theories, acupuncture is not recommended during menstruation.

Be sure your acupuncturist uses only disposable needles. If your acupuncturist prescribes herbs and would like you to take them as part of your treatment, talk to your doctor. Herbs are potent substances that can be harmful if you suffer from certain conditions. They can also interact with drugs you may be taking and cause side effects. It is best to avoid strenuous physical activity, heavy meals, alcohol intake, or sexual activity for up to 8 hours after a treatment.

Most states require acupuncturists to be licensed and confer a title (LAc). The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture can provide a list of licensed physicians in your area who are also trained to perform acupuncture. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine certifies acupuncturists (Dipl Ac) and practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine (Dipl CH) upon passing qualifying exam.Other medical practitioners may perform acupuncture as well. In particular many naturopathic physicians and Oriental Medical Doctors (OMDs) practice acupuncture along with medical doctors and nurse practitioners.