by Philp Babitsky

Created on: May 27, 2009   Last Updated: May 28, 2009

A lot of people seek help from alternative medicine, when things don't work out with scientifically based Western medicine. Accupuncture falls into the category of alternative medicine, which means that mainstream practitioners will object to it on the grounds of the lack of any proof that accupuncture aid in the recovery of ill health; and as well the competition that it creates with main stream medicine. The bodily Meridians that are described by accupuncture are in fact imaginary so far, and this evokes a lot of criticism regarding the treatment, that a lot of people say is make believe and depends heavily on the patients imagination and psychology and placebo in general. Until the Chinese ancient concept of qi is proven to exist, then accupuncture will remain on the sidelines.

Meridians of the body have not been proven to exist, which means that accupuncture does not have a solid scientific study and platform with proven cases of positive results, onto which it can stand on. Part of the difficulty comes from the inability to create a control group and categorise patients according to illnesses, powerful mental visualisation (which sometimes gives an illusion of a successful treatment). The insertion of needles into correct spots at specific depths had also been met with great difficulty as the thickness of tissues in people vary a lot.

Lately scientists, including ones in China, have agreed that the concept of qi may in fact be a mathaphor for the bio-field, or energy force that many people talk about. It had become highly publicised that any gradual for m of hyperstimulation of the senses can reduce pain and inflamation by reducing the electrical activity of nerves and the neural system; hence the modern application of accupuncture through laser. The numbing effect which follows is not unique to accupuncture, as any form of concentrated stimulation produces numbness due to the gradual apeasement of the body. The human tissue eventually becomes used to repeated external stimulii and ignores it. This effect is only temporary and wears off, this means that repeated sessions are needed to continue the sensation of numbness.

Another area of concern is that the practitioners of accupuncture are often poorly educated in their fields. This often results in triggering, or numbing the wrong points which in some cases has worsened the conditions of patients or created new health problems through infections with poorly cleaned, or cross contaminated needles. The fact that accupuncture is not a main stream medicine means that it does not receive the same health controls as other areas. Until accupuncture has the same safety controls implemented it will remain a semi-trusted medicine.

A lot fo the criticisms come from the fact that accupuncture claims that it can completely cure any illness, which is in fact impossible as terminal or genetical abnormalities and sicknesses cannot be cured yet. Some clinical observations have proven that accupuncture can have a relaxing and calming effect in patients, where pain relief, improvement in mobility and cognition. However, real proof will only be obtained through exhaustive experimentation and random blind cases. Therefore, as reassurance patients incorporating accupuncture usually combine other, more traditional treatments to have a maximum positive effect on their health, which includes eastern herbs, massage, chiropractics, meditation and regular scientifically based medicines. However, a lot of people fail to notice that it may be other medications and not accupuncture itself that aided in their recovery and improved health.

References:

accupuncture, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acupuncture, accessed 27/05/09

Learn more about this author, Philp Babitsky.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.