Acupuncture

Acupuncture as a complex therapeutic system has been used to treat a variety of diseases and conditions. Now, acupuncture has become a very hot popular in western countries as a natural therapy for chronic diseases, including kidney disease.

What is Acupuncture?
How Does Acupuncture is performed?
Benefits for Managing Kidney Disease
Are there any side effects of Acupuncture?
Do needles insert hurt me? What does the treatment feel like?
Dos and Don'ts

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a natural remedy in which doctor inserts medical needles, applies heat or electrical stimulation at a very precise acupuncture points to promote the body's self-cure and improve functions.

In the view of Traditional Chinese Medicine, a series of channels, like rivers, run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. And the channels are called meridians in term which is considered to transmit nutrition to all tissues and keep organs work well. Once there is obstruction, our health will lose balance. And acupuncture can resolve this problem by inserting the needles to stimulate the meridians, so that your health will come back.

How Does Acupuncture is performed?

Acupuncture is Applied with Needles. This field features the pricks of needles on acupuncture point (acupoint for short) to adjust the organic functions and clear the energy channels of obstruction in our body.

In ancient China, it was called 'Bian Shu', a treat method with stone needles which then evolved into the bone, bamboo, and metal. Now it is popular to use stainless steel and silver needles among the doctors of Chinese medicine. They are so fine that the length is 15 - 125 millimeters and the diameter is 0.28 - 0.45 millimeters.

After analyzing your medical condition, the therapist will use special medical needles to stimulate the corresponding meridians. Many foreigners are scared by the pictures of acupuncture needles. Don't worry. The insertion is not terrible and you just feel a Mosquito bite, not sharp pain. And after a few minutes, you will feel nothing. This is the Chinese medicine mystery.

Benefits for managing kidney disease

The effect of acupuncture techniques in some kidney diseases is reviewed on the basis of clinical reports as well as mechanisms that may possibly explain the beneficial effects mediated by acupressure/acupuncture.

- As mentioned before, there are a series of channels run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. Once there is obstruction in Channels or meridians, our health will lose balance. Acupuncture can stimulate your meridians and remove the block, improving kidney's self-cure and promoting kidney functions.

- Acupuncture can deal with kidney stones, for this treatment can dilate the ureters and discharge a stone in a acute episode. The treatment is unilateral to the affected side, with needles placed at special meridians.This will dilate the ureter and allow passage of the stone into the bladder. Do for 10 to 30 minutes, until the stone is discharged. If not, repeat with 30 minute breaks in between.

- Acupuncture can deal with the infertility caused by renal deficiency. Acupuncture is targeted to Warm and tonify the Kidney Yang and Enrich the Kidney Essence in order to nourish the Chong and Ren Channels, which are major pathways (meridians) that influence the uterus, dealing with the infertility.

- Cold and flu can worsen the kidney disease patients' condition. The following illustrated acupuncture approach is extremely effective in not only alleviating the symptoms associated with cold or flu but, if used early enough, may potentially prevent the symptoms and condition from developing at all. - Back pain, stomach pain and flank pain are common symptoms of kidney disease. Acupuncture is being studied for its efficacy in alleviating many kinds of pain. The needle stimulates pain-sensing nerves, which trigger the brain to release opiumlike compounds called endorphins that circulate in the body.

- Acupuncture helps lower down kidney disease patients's blood pressure. Use acupuncture needles to stimulate the thinly myelinated (Group III) somatic afferents activates central endorphin (naloxone-sensitive) pathways that elicit long-lasting decreases in sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) and blood pressure.

Besides, acupuncture helps alleviate other kidney disease symptoms and complications, such as anemia, poor sleep, nausea and poor appetite. And it is also has anti-inflammatory effects and release the fatigue and depression of hemodialysis patients.

Are there any side effects of Acupuncture?

Usually not. Acupuncture is generally considered safe when performed by an experienced therapist with sterile needles. There are rate serious side effects of acupuncture are reported.

In addition, the adverse effects of acupuncture is fewer than those of standard drug treatments, such as anti-inflammation medicines.

Do needles insert hurt me? What does the treatment feel like?

Usually patients feel only a very minimal pain when needles are inserted. And when the needles are in place, experiencer will feel no pain. The needles are very smooth, sharp and thin, so it does not hurts patients if used by a experienced practitioner.

Dos and Don'ts

- Do not eat an unusually large meal immediately before or after your treatment.

- Do not over-exercise, engage in sexual activity, or consume alcoholic beverages within 6 hours before or after the treatment.

- Remember to keep good mental or written notes of what your response is to the treatment. This is important for your doctor to know so that the follow-up treatments can be designed to best help you and your problem.

- Continue to take any prescription medicines as directed by your regular doctor. Substance abuse (drugs and alcohol) especially in the week prior to treatment, will seriously interfere with the effectiveness of acupuncture treatments.

- Plan your activities so that after the treatment you can get some rest, or at least not have to be working at top performance. This is especially important for the first few visits.

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