Acupuncture in daily living: Helpful or Hurtful?

There are numerous reasons as to why people would seek out complementary or alternative medicine (CAM), and some of the reasons include that while also visiting the doctor, this other form of CAM can help supplement the help offered by the physician, they may actually be dissatisfied with their care provider and do not like messing around with the insurance companies,  they want to be in control of their own health and make their own choices for their body, and they simply enjoy the different medicine techniques that are out there today. The CAM technique I will be focusing more on is acupuncture and whether it’s more helpful for an individual or hurtful. 

Acupuncture is a type of complementary medicine that is used to alleviate pain and promote natural healing in various parts of the body, known as acupuncture points, by using a needle that goes into the skin and applying heat or electrical impulses, it’s said to also treat various diseases.  

Acupuncture is helpful to the body by that it helps the flow of the energy, and when out of balance, diseases may arise in the individual; but this theory is only empirical evidence. It’s said that acupuncture can help alleviate depression, sleep disturbances, and drug addictions, but the main concern for this belief is whether the acupuncture is actually effective, or if it’s the individual who participates in new behaviors that come along with acupuncture.  However, a 2011 review found that patients undergoing chemotherapy and had regular acupuncture helped reduce the nausea and vomiting that came along with the chemo treatments. It’s said that acupuncture releases opioid peptides that are neurotransmitters such as endorphins, enkephallins, dynorphines, that are closely involved with the perception of pain. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etIUVX2Hddo

The physical effects that an individual would feel resulting in participating in acupuncture would be the prickling sensation of the needle going on in the skin, which isn't inserted very far beneath the skin, and others full a dull sensation around the needle insertion.  If done right, no harmful physical effects would leave a patient in pain or cause their illness to get worse. However, if the acupuncturist is not thoroughly careful, he can end up using needles that are not sterile, they may insert the needle too deep into the skin, but overall, as stated by the National Institute of Health, and acupuncture is relatively safe for all. Even though after receiving acupuncture, some acupuncturist receive feedback from their patients from suffering from their original symptoms after a few days following, but this is due to the acupuncture starting to take effect. Also, after the first session or two, the patient might experience deep relaxation or mild disorientation, and these side effects should go away within two days or so. Some of the rarest side effects can include bruising of the surrounding needle insertion point, fainting, muscle spasms, bleeding, nerve damage, punctured lung, and accidental injury to organs, which can stem from the acupuncturist not doing his job thoroughly. 

Overall, acupuncture is a safe treatment for any person wanting to alleviate pain in certain areas of their body. Even though each person is different, some or none of the side effects mentioned can be felt by the person, or it may not help a person at all. Even thought I've never gone through a session of acupuncture, I still believe it would be helpful in the sense that where the pain sites are located, having it punctured by a hair thin needle would help to release the neurotransmitters that are involved with the sensation to feel better. 

References:

Wanjek, Christopher. "What Is Acupuncture?" LiveScience.com. N.p., 09 May 2013. Web. 29 May 2013

“Can Acupuncture Help My Condition?" American Academy of Medical Acupuncture Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2013.

Christensen, Emma. "Theories on the Effects of Acupuncture on the Nervous System." Serendip Studio. N.p., 15 Jan. 2008. Web. 29 May 2013.

Cockerham, William C. Medical Sociology. 12th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1978. Print.

Joswick, Diane. "Are There Risks or Side Effects to Acupuncture?" Acupuncture Referral Service. Acufinder.com, n.d. Web. 30 May 2013.