"Acupuncture describes a family of procedures
involving stimulation of anatomical locations on the skin by a variety of techniques."
Acupuncture. NIH Consensus Statement; 1997, Nov 3-5; 15(5):1-34.
Acupuncture is a method of prevention, correction and treatment of a disease,
illness, injury or pain by encouraging the body to promote natural healing and
improve functioning.
This objective is implemented by stimulation of certain biologically
active points on the surface of the body (acupuncture points).
These strategic points can be stimulated by the insertion of acupuncture needles
or
by non-invasive techniques and other means of physical stimulation.
A key feature of acupuncture as a kind of medical intervention
is that there is no administration of any chemical substances in any form or delivery
system.
Although the term "acupuncture" translates into English as "piercing the skin
with a needle", and is habitually perceived in the US as an ancient art,
this perception or perspective can be misleading.
Acupuncture is a dynamic and developing field of medicine, which has earned worldwide
recognition for its effectiveness.
Acupuncture needles remain the traditional and the most routinely used tool, but
new technologies that have emerged over the last fifty years offer a wide spectrum
of modalities.
The classification of techniques can be presented by the
modes of stimulation:
Needling:
- Needling (orthodox acupuncture)
- Lance needle blood-letting
- Press-tags
Mechanical stimulation:
- Press pellets
- Acupressure
and
Shiatsu
- Vibration; (vibro-massage)
- Cutaneous tapping (Plum-blossom needle, etc.)
- Vacuum (cupping)
Thermo-stimulation:
- Heat (moxa - moxibustion)
- Cold (cryogenic therapy)
- Contact diagnostic thermography
- Diagnostic Infrared Thermal Imaging
Electrical stimulation:
- Electroacupuncture
 - Electropuncture
- Piezoelectric stimulation
- Ryodoraku
- TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerves Stimulation))
- PENS (Percutaneous Electrical Nerves Stimulation)
Electromagnetic Stimulation:
- Electromagnetic stimulation
- Infrared radiation
- Ultraviolet radiation
- Colored Light radiation (color-puncture)
- Laser
- Microwave
Magnetic stimulation:
- Magnets
Ultrasound stimulation:
- phono-puncture
Other methotds of acupoint stimulation:
- Apipuncture
Recommended articles:
Piezoelectric Stimulation Technique
(Click here to read related article)
Therapy Without needles
(Click here to read related article)
|
