DAMAN^AUGUST/SEPTEMBER201967HEALTH
PAIN RELIEF AND BEYOND
Quite a few studies have shown that
acupuncture might help relieve pain. This
includes chronic pain such as low-back pain,
neck pain and osteoarthritis. Furthermore,
acupuncture has also been suggested for
reducing the frequency of tension headaches
and preventing migraines.
Back in 2003, the World Health
Organization (WHO) published “Acupuncture:
Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled
Clinical Trials” which mentions 28 conditions
where acupuncture has been proven to be an
effective form of treatment. These include
both high and low blood pressure, rheumatoid
arthritis and even nausea and vomiting induced
by chemotherapy. Another 55 conditions—from
fibromyalgia to vascular dementia—might
benefit from acupuncture but require more
clinical trials. The WHO, however, also pointed
out that the publication was intended primarily
to “facilitate research” on acupuncture.
All that being said, acupuncture has been
an accepted part of mainstream healthcare
for quite a while. In Indonesia, the concept
of medical acupuncture began with a pilot
project initiated in 1967 at the Dr. Cipto
Mangunkusumo Hospital. When you see the
abbreviation “Sp.Ak.” behind a doctor’s name,
then that doctor is a specialist in acupuncture.
The traditional application of acupuncture is,
of course, still favored by many. But it also has
a long history of being used as a complement
to mainstream modern medicine with
demonstrable—to a certain extent—results.
So, when you find yourself in a conversation
with your physician and they suggest
acupuncture as a form of treatment you might
be interested in, it’s definitely not a ridiculous
idea. In fact, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor
if acupuncture might be applicable to a health
concern you’re facing, especially if it involves
chronic pain. Consulting directly with an
acupuncture specialist (check out pdai.or.id for
a list of specialists and also a brief overview of
medical acupuncture in Indonesia) might also
be an option.ACUPUNCTURE IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR
MEMBER OF THE ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE FAMILY.
IS IT A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE, THOUGH?GETTING TO
THE POINT
“DON’T HESITATE TO ASK YOUR DOCTOR
IF ACUPUNCTURE MIGHT BE APPLICABLE
TO A HEALTH CONCERN, ESPECIALLY IF IT
INVOLVES CHRONIC PAIN”
eople have apparently been
sticking needles into each other
as a form of treatment for
thousands of years. Acupuncture
as we understand it today
originated in China then spread
first to Korea. The practice was
then brought to Vietnam and eventually to
Europe and beyond.
Now, the popularity and general acceptance
of acupuncture has waxed and waned through
the years, but it is still widely practiced. And inThere are, by the way, a total of 361 classical
acupuncture points, about 48 extra points and
a lot of variation across regions. Anyway, by
inserting needles into these points and in the
correct combination the flow of energy can be
brought back into balance.
Conversely, the most common modern
explanation for the purported effects of
acupuncture is that the points correspond to
locations where nerves, muscles and connective
tissues can easily be stimulated. This, in turn,
can then cause an increase in blood flow andP
also trigger the release of endorphins, our
body’s natural pain relievers.
But, again, there has been no conclusive
scientific proof to support this idea. See, when,
say, a new drug undergoes clinical trials, a
control group is set up. Subjects in this control
group would be given placebos—without their
knowledge, of course—and their reaction to the
medication will then be compared to subjects
receiving the actual drug. Same thing goes for
other forms of treatment.
There is, however, no placebo equivalent to
sticking needles into somebody.
Limitations aside, there has been
many studies carried out on the effects of
acupuncture, the mechanisms of perceived
effects and how it compares to mainstream
treatment, but results so far have been
inconclusive. So, essentially, we know that it
might work in some cases. We just don’t know
exactly how or why.this case, “widely practiced” has come to mean
modern clinics, state of the art hospitals and
even academic medical centers. Still, the actual
efficacy of acupuncture is still up for debate.
So, how much do we actually know about
acupuncture? And in what cases might it be
considered a viable form of treatment? Read
on...HOW DOES IT WORK?
In traditional Chinese medicine, being healthy
means that a person’s life force, known as
qi or chi, is in a state of balance where the
extremes of yin and yang perfectly complement
each other. The same concept is found in
the traditions of various other cultures.
Furthermore, the aforementioned energy is
thought to flow through the body through
certain meridians or pathways.
This flow can then be accessed through the
various acupuncture points across the body.