It’s been about 2,000 years in the making, but acupuncture may now be propelled into the mainstream. New research shows that the two most common forms of arthritis – rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis – are among the conditions treated with acupuncture. But how?
The ancient – and current – theory of acupuncture goes like this: An essential life energy called qi (pronounced “chee”) flows through the body along 20 invisible channels called meridians. When the flow of this energy is blocked or out of balance, illness or pain occurs. More than 2,000 acupuncture points connect to the meridians. Stimulating those points with needles may correct the flow and alleviate pain.
When speaking with his patients, Tim Rhudy, a licensed acupuncturist in the department of pain management at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, explains that acupuncture diminishes pain by “untying muscular straitjackets – releasing tight, spasmed, shortened muscles to their resting state.”
It also helps regulate the body's nervous system, which can stimulate the release of natural pain-fighting endorphins.
And there’s more: Acupuncture tells the body where the battle is. When you cut your hand, the body sends help to the injury site. Likewise, when a needle is inserted into an acupuncture point, the body pays special attention to the micro-trauma and emits healing factors, says Rhudy.
Acupuncture also alters the perception of pain, he says. “Brain magnetic resonance imaging shows that deep needling of acupuncture points deactivates the part of the brain that deals with our perception of pain.” With deep needling, as opposed to superficial needling, a needle in inserted as far as one-half inch (12.7 millimeters).
RA. A recent study from China shows that both traditional acupuncture and electroacupuncture – a type in which pulsating electrical currents are sent through the needles to stimulate target areas – may reduce tenderness. All 36 participants had a standardized treatment, whether they received traditional acupuncture or electroacupuncture. During a total of 20 sessions throughout a 10-week period, needles were placed at a depth of about 10 to 20 millimeters and left in place for 30 minutes.
OA. In a German study, 304,674 people with knee OA who received 15 sessions of acupuncture combined with their usual medical care had less pain and stiffness, improved function and better quality of life than their counterparts who had routine care alone. The improvements occurred immediately after completing a three-month course of acupuncture and lasted for at least another three months, indicating OA is among conditions treated with acupuncture.
Although Medicare does not cover acupuncture treatments, some private health insurers do. The devil is in the details when it comes to insurance coverage of acupuncture, says James Dowden, executive director of the American Academy of Acupuncture, a Los Angeles–based professional society of physicians with training and practice. “Most U.S. insurers do provide some acupuncture coverage,” he says. “But what conditions they cover vary.”
If your insurance company does not cover acupuncture, check to see if it is covered as an optional treatment. The most important questions to ask an insurer, says Dowden, are for which conditions they cover acupuncture and for how many treatments.
To find a certified acupuncturist, try these Web sites:
National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
E² Acupuncture Science
Any skeletal muscle pain can be easily cured by Tradition Chinese Medicine (TCM) Acupuncture.
For 4,610 years (2600BC), Yellow Explorer's time. Until now acupuncturist continues this ancient TCM practice to eliminating all diseases (trying). All the main hospitals of China use this to treat most patients as busy as KFC fast food.
Acupuncture treatment will has needling sensation effect for first few days. This called “DE Qi/Chi” (Arrival of Oxy’Blood---needling sensation). it must be achieved so that Yin & Yang(Negative and Positive energy) can be balanced and body’s immune system has strengthens, else diseases can’t be eliminated. The fundamental manipulating techniques are Lifting and thrusting & Twirling or rotating. TCM Acupuncture therapeutic works and easily cures muscular pain if apply correctly.
Beside sciatica(more trials needed), all others skeletal muscle pains are not recorded in TCM text therefore no “Acupoints(???)” can be provided to any acupuncturist as that they need to advancing the practice and pick the right AcuPoints.
Be respectful, Acupuncture is not a device or voodoo magic, it does not release any things (certainly not endorphins, inflammation, etc, ..) or anti-inflammatory agents. Please do not mislead. It is a marvelous 4,610+ years old, micro surgical tool, etc, .
“An acupuncture is bad science”. not much can be expected in 4,610 years ago, good science & resources only available from 1850AD such great scientists: Heinrich Hertz (1887) & Albert Einstein (1905).
Since 2005 E² Acupuncture has added a new chapter of modem acupuncture science. which has scientific proven, formulated, verified and even dispelling the amount of excessive Yins/-Toxin can be calculated. Treatment uses single new save disposal and painless micro-needle insertion to proper “Acupoints(??)” and has no side effects, least risk mainly due to accident same as any treatments. No Lifting and thrusting & Twirling or rotating manipulating needed so that patient cans comfortably having a cup of tea/coffee.
Acupuncturist must fully understood the Five Elements(五行), Five Changes(五变) and Five Shu/Transports(五输/通) Yin & Yang balance principles. if any one treated by 5 X 30 minutes in 2 weeks and has no relief by 4 weeks, please discontinues and shop around.
I have my Plantar fasciitis cured twice by my own EE Acupuncture, last cured was on march/2011 since then pain remains free and no sign of coming back. (EE: Eliminates Excessive Yins/-Toxin/Electrons)
check/click on my site (you can send to any one of my site)
https://sites.google.com/site/painfreebreakthrough/
or more help below sites
http://talk.plantar-fasciitis.org/profile/JamesChong?xg_source=profiles_mem berList
http://groups.google.com/group/plantar-fasciitis-AcupCure/browse_thread/thr ead/708eb7de388fae5b?hl=en-GB
Sciatica update (loc: buttock & 5 inches down, 2 spots).
treated on 30th/10/2011.
12 days after and feedback:
"Been feeling the slight tenderness in the area where the needle were inserted. Felt my legs is tired but not the numbness." (50% pain relief, 100% no numbness)
5 weeks Later (email on 4th/11/2011):
"Seems to be fine, slight tenderness but definitely better than before" (now 90% cure)
why pain relief if it can be so easily cured.
and the cost of curing it is so much less then a pair of PF shoes and not to mention others, .
cheers
James
I run such a clinic, and have treated over a thousand people. Knee pain, for instance, is a commonly treated condition for me and I have had good results. I treat professional athletes (cyclists and triathletes) and many others for knee pain issues related to arthritis and overuse. Not everyone responds favorably, but most get at least some relief. Many get total lasting relief.
Find an affordable Community style acupuncturist by doing a Google search for "Community Acupuncture Network".
E² Acupuncture Science
Any skeletal muscle pain can be easily cured by Tradition Chinese Medicine (TCM) Acupuncture.
For 4,610 years (2600BC), Yellow Explorer's time. Until now acupuncturist continues this ancient TCM practice to eliminating all diseases (trying). All the main hospitals of China use this to treat most patients as busy as KFC fast food.
Acupuncture treatment will has needling sensation effect for first few days. This called “DE Qi/Chi” (Arrival of Oxy’Blood---needling sensation). it must be achieved so that Yin & Yang(Negative and Positive energy) can be balanced and body’s immune system has strengthens, else diseases can’t be eliminated. The fundamental manipulating techniques are Lifting and thrusting & Twirling or rotating. TCM Acupuncture therapeutic works and easily cures muscular pain if apply correctly.
Beside sciatica(more trials needed), all others skeletal muscle pains are not recorded in TCM text therefore no “Acupoints(???)” can be provided to any acupuncturist as that they need to advancing the practice and pick the right AcuPoints.
Be respectful, Acupuncture is not a device or voodoo magic, it does not release any things (certainly not endorphins, inflammation, etc, ..) or anti-inflammatory agents. Please do not mislead. It is a marvelous 4,610+ years old, micro surgical tool, etc, .
“An acupuncture is bad science”. not much can be expected in 4,610 years ago, good science & resources only available from 1850AD such great scientists: Heinrich Hertz (1887) & Albert Einstein (1905).
Since 2005 E² Acupuncture has added a new chapter of modem acupuncture science. which has scientific proven, formulated, verified and even dispelling the amount of excessive Yins/-Toxin can be calculated. Treatment uses single new save disposal and painless micro-needle insertion to proper “Acupoints(??)” and has no side effects, least risk mainly due to accident same as any treatments. No Lifting and thrusting & Twirling or rotating manipulating needed so that patient cans comfortably having a cup tea/coffee.
Acupuncturist must fully understood the Five Elements(五行), Five Changes(五变) and Five Shu/Transports(五输/通) Yin & Yang balance principles. if any one treated by 5 X 30 minutes in 2 weeks and has no relief by 4 weeks, please discontinues and shop around.
I have my Plantar fasciitis cured twice by my own EE Acupuncture, last cured was on march/2011 since then pain remains free and no sign of coming back. (EE: Eliminates Excessive Yins/-Toxin/Electrons)
check/click on my site (you can send to any one of my site)
https://sites.google.com/site/painfreebreakthrough/
or more help below sites
http://talk.plantar-fasciitis.org/profile/JamesChong?xg_source=profiles_mem berList
http://groups.google.com/group/plantar-fasciitis-AcupCure/browse_thread/thr ead/708eb7de388fae5b?hl=en-GB
Sciatica update (loc: buttock & 5 inches down, 2 spots).
treated on 30th/10/2011.
12 days after and feedback:
"Been feeling the slight tenderness in the area where the needle were inserted. Felt my legs is tired but not the numbness." (50% pain relief, 100% no numbness)
5 weeks Later (email on 4th/11/2011):
"Seems to be fine, slight tenderness but definitely better than before" (now 90% cure)
why pain relief if it can be so easily cured.
and the cost of curing it is so much less then a pair of PF shoes and not to mention others, .
cheers
James
I'm 35, was diagnosed with RA last year. Started off with methotrexate and predinsone but had very bad side effects with my lungs from the methotrexate....discontinued after 4 mths and started sulfasalazine. Was weaned off the prednisone by Sept 2010. A masseuse recommended Zyflamend which is a supplement for dealing with inflammation in the joints. I believe this has helped me greatly. I still have aches and pains but not very much and not as excruciating as I had initially. I am now taking plaquenil with the sulfasalazine but its too early to tell if I will be pain free. I just wanted to mention the Zyflamend, so that maybe you can look into it and see if it works for you.
Well, all the best.
So while studies are an interesting read and appropriate devil's advocate, I care about the people who have positive results from these treatments. They are the Real people, Real cases, Real Results & Real Feedback that I will rely on to try something or not.
So what if something works in controlled studies or in the lab, and not in the real world? Or work but kill you in another way?
So what if it does not work in labs and controlled studies, but work in the real world? I take real any time.
One can botch, mess up controlled settings, studies, etc., but the real problem is already perfectly messed up for one to test whether something works!
Dr. Yong Luo
Eastern Acupuncture & Herbal Clinic Atlanta GA
www. Georgia-Acupuncture.com
Am Robert from India. Suffering from Psoriatic arthritis. Can I take food asupplements along with accupuncture treatment?
See, for example, this recent study:
Suarez-Almazor ME, et al "A randomized controlled trial of acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee: Effects of patient-provider communication" Arth Care Research 2010.
See also this excellent book--
Trick or Treatment: The Undeniable Facts about Alternative Medicine
By: Simon Singh, Edzard Ernst M.D.
I have been getting treatments for over a year, on a weekly basis, by an MD, who is a licensed acupuncturist.
Results:
The daily pain is almost gone.
I can almost make a fist, again.
I can turn my head completely normally.
We have down all but one pain medication.
I can play golf again.
I searched within 100 miles of Missouri and there are loads of Acupuncturists serving in Springfield and Kansas City, MO....
Here is the Link : https://i7lp.integral7.com/durango/do/pr/prSearchResult
Good Luck!
Kind regards,
Julie M. Goss, L.Ac., MAcOM
Acupuncture & Chinese herbal therapies; Whole Food Nutrition and Lifestyle changes help tremendously with cases of RA or OA. Electro-stimulation is very beneficial w/the hot, swollen, inflammed joints of Rheumatoid Arthritis. OA responds well to acupuncture treatments, herbs & supplement therapies (e.g. 3-4g./day of high quality fish oil supplements: Nordic Naturals or Carlson's); Glucosamine Chondroitin taken for 3+ mos.).
Last Note: Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (a.k.a. enlarged, non-cancerous prostate) responds well to Acupuncture protocols and specific food selections and supplementation to support the prostate. Chinese herbs also help to reduce the nocturia (urination through the night).
To Your Health!
Julie
I tried acupuncture. I had 4 weekly treatments, and each time noticed decreased pain. After 8 weeks, I was totally pain-free; it was like a miracle.
Acupuncture definitely took away my stabbing, shooting pains. also, I have the nodes on my knuckles (bouchard's and heberden's nodes from the OA). The nodes undergo some physiological change after an acupuncture treatment; they become rounder and smaller and initially redder. Ultimately their size decreases.
I highly recommend acupuncuture to anyone with OA in the hands (or elsewhere). The tricky part is knowing how often you need a treatment after you are pain-free so that it doesn't come back again.
@mmonske - go to www.acupuncture.com and type in "prostate" in the upper right (home page) search box. There are more than a few articles in regard to enlarged prostate and acupuncture.
@Rachel A. - check www.acupuncture.com as well and type in rheumatoid arthritis. There's plenty of information to help you narrow down what you need.
@JaNice Lucas - Definitely go to www.NCCAOM.org as the other L.Ac. practitioners on this page have recommended and just type in Missouri - I checked it out and there are about 20 names. I don't know how many are near you, but there are several in your state. Good luck.
Acupuncture is being promoted as both an "alternative" treatment and an adjunct to standard treatment. In China, it was banned in 1929 but underwent resurgence in the 1960s during the Cultural Revolution. In the United States, it is used mainly for pain relief. Some states permit only licensed physicians to perform acupuncture, while others license lay persons as well. While acupuncture organizations are trying to standardize training, researchers are still attempting to determine whether acupuncture is effective.
NCAHF believes:
Acupuncture is an unproven modality of treatment;
Its theory and practice are based on primitive and fanciful concepts of health and disease that bear no relationship to present scientific knowledge;
Research during the past twenty years has failed to demonstrate that acupuncture is effective against any disease;
Perceived effects of acupuncture are probably due to a combination of expectation, suggestion, counter- irritation, operant conditioning, and other psychological mechanisms;
The use of acupuncture should be restricted to appropriate research settings;
Insurance companies should not be required by law to cover acupuncture treatment; and
Licensure of lay acupuncturists should be phased out.
As for acupuncture solutions re: rheumatic Arthritis, please check out this website: www.itmonline.org. Search for "rheumatic arthritis" and you'll find quite a bit of info.
www.nccaom.org
Through this website you can look up all certified practitioners by state, city or name.
I have searched and searched and cannot find a certified Acupuncturist within 100 miles of my home in Wentzville, MO. In this state they do not have to be certified and I am at a loss as to where to go next. Can anyone direct me to a GREAT Acupuncturist? I’m 58 years old and have had RA for 29 years, and was in a very bad auto accident on 11/22/2007…meniscus tears in left knee and compound fracture in T-7…and find physical therapy is of little help.
Now I’m looking at another round of 4 weeks, 2x’s a week of physical therapy then to a pain clinic. I have managed my RA very well and have been able to function with homeopathic remedies, but this accident has dropped my standard of living a great deal. Plus, I adopted my nephew (who at three years old witness his Mother stabbed to death) who is now an active 11 year old. I have been very inactive due to my new physical restraints after the accident and am now in a great deal if physical distress. Please Help!!!
Any references to more studies would be helpful.
Thank you.
Rachel A
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