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Archive for the 'acupuncture' Category
Acupuncture is one of the many alternative forms of medicine that is very well known, albeit not well understood. While most people have never had an acupuncture treatment, they most likely have a strong opinion about it.. Admittedly I was fairly ignorant about acupuncture until we were approached and incorporated this form of therapy into our Ology medspa several years ago. Since then I have come to appreciate what it is and how it may be beneficial to some patients.
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese practice involving the placement of ultra-thin sterile needles into the skin at specific points located along what are called energy meridians. The exact origin of the energy meridian concept is buried in Chinese history but it goes back over two thousand years. The introduction of a needle along these energy meridian purportedly affects the flow of qi (pronounced “chee”), or energy that flows through them. The flow of qi is important to keep the body in balance and in good health. That explanation requires a leap of faith in understanding and modern science hypothesizes that the needles interact with our nervous system. They likely trigger the release of chemicals that have a hormone-like effect, modifiying our mood, perception of pain, and how our immune system acts. Interestingly, the placement of the needles are rarely even close to the site of the problem, often being at quite distant parts of the body. That undoubably contributes to the mystery of how acupuncture works and challenges to some degree conventional medical thinking. This has led many to hypothesize that acupuncture works primarily by a placebo effect rather than any real physical change.
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Acupuncture does have a set of medical problems for which it has some acknowledged benefits. It is most commonly used for chronic pain which has failed conventional medical therapies such as back pain and arthritic joints. It is used for the common problems of weight loss and smoking cessation but whether its success is any higher than the hundreds of other approaches has not been proven. It is extremely popular when used along with in vitro fertilization to help increase the odds of success of conception. Stimulating an acupressure point in the toe may even help expedite labor.
As part of a medspa environment in Clarian Health hospitals (Clarian North in Carmel and Clarian West in Avon), this is a logical addition to a complementary healthcare environment. As part of a place where a full range of services are available from ayurvedic and therapeutic spa therapies, chiropractic services, massage therapy, skin care, anti-aging medicine and plastic surgery in a soothing and tranquil environment, acupuncture adds non-invasive treatment options for certain health issues.
Dr. Barry Eppley
http://www.eppleyplasticsurgery.com
Clarian North Medical Center, Carmel, Indiana
Clarian West Medical Center, Avon, Indiana
Indianapolis