Tag: TCM

Acupuncture Used As A Treatment For Chronic Knee Pain

Also referred to as degenerative joint disease, Osteoarthritis is a deficiency that involves the subchondral bone and the body’s articular cartilage. These abnormalities may be hereditary, mechanical, metabolic, or developmental.

The causes of this disease mainly lead to loss of cartilage and when the bone is no longer protected with cartilage, it becomes exposed and prone to damage. Its primary symptoms include joint pain, locking, effusion, stiffness and tenderness.

Initial treatment usually involves analgesic backed by proper exercise and change in lifestyle. However, if pain goes beyond tolerable, joint replacement surgery is often performed.

Osteoarthritis is one of the leading causes of chronic disabilities in the world affecting over 27 million people in the United States and around 8 million people in the United Kingdom and the rest of the world.

Since pain is the primary symptom of Osteoarthritis, these days more and more patients suffering from the disease are now looking into acupuncture as a possible alternative treatment to ease the pain as acupuncture has been proven effective to ease pain caused by a variety of diseases.

Originating from China for thousands of years past, acupuncture was originally used as anesthetics to alleviate pain. The principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine contain that the human body has twelve meridians, otherwise known as channels wherein the body’s vital energy or life force passes through. Along the meridians are acupuncture points that are linked with a specific organ system of the body. According to TCM, diseases occur when the flow of the body’s life force is being disrupted and creates an imbalance in the yin and yang energy forces of the body.

Through acupuncture, the normal energy flow can be restored back to balance. Acupuncture utilizes specified needles to stimulate the acupuncture points in the energy channels to revitalize the body’s normal energy flow.

Osteoarthritis usually affects the spine, hands, hips, feet, and knees; although theory has it that Osteoarthritis can actually affect all joints in the body.

As Osteoarthritis worsens, the body joint being affected will appear swollen, painful, stiff and gets even aggravated when being used throughout the day.

Conventional medical treatments for Osteoarthritis normally involve non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs when the first line of analgesics no longer applies. However, these non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are associated with severe side effects that will only make the patient suffer further. Taking NSAIDs are linked to gastrointestinal bleeding. Although there are other non-steroidal drugs that may have milder side effects, they can be too expensive. This is the very reason why patients with Osteoarthritis are now looking into alternative treatments such as acupuncture to ease them from such pain.

Other natural forms of treatment for knee recovery and strengthening is physical therapy. Physical therapy can help the healing process and strengthen the muscles and ligaments.

Five Steps To Successfully Pass Cale And Nccaom Acupuncture Exam(s)

Traditional Chinese Medicine has been widely studied across the globe for its different but effective treatment. The state of California has developed the California Acupuncture License Exam (CALE) to determine who possess required knowledge to be licensed to practice in the state, looking at the effective health benefits, worldwide demand of oriental medicine, etc. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) also has been working with the same mission.

Though rewards are higher, getting started with a TCM consulting job is a challenging task because of the tough tests to pass. Highly qualified testing professionals are involved in developing the tests of both CALE and NCCAOM exams. Some steps can help you climb the ladder, successfully pass the exams, shift your professional career path dramatically, and get exposed to a large network that can create many opportunities for you in the future. Below are the most effective but attainable practices to get through these exams:

1.Start your study early and in an organized way: No matter how quick a learner you are, you cannot obtain all required knowledge if proper time is not given. So first and foremost step is to start studying early and analyze what you can do yourself or if you need some help in your test preparation.

2.Focus on the scope of the exam: This is one of the most crucial points to know the scope of your exam, as there is always something to learn. So, learn the concepts you will be tested over. Previous years test papers and current years test syllabus will help you the best in this case. On that basis, you can create sample test papers. When it comes to NCCAOM practice test or acupuncture exam prep, always remember that CALE or NCCAOM tests are prepared by testing professionals who presumably have training and expertise in job analysis, test development, test validity, test assessment, and psychometrics. In addition, they also possess a reasonable degree of statistical sophistication so that they can perform the necessary analyses of the testing data.

3.Have confidence: Be cocky as anything and aim to obtain 100%, as you need to do everything right at the first time while practicing after you land a job. But dont be over confident that can build an attitude you know everything; as said before, there is always a scope of learning.

4.Join the Best Course: Many TCM courses are available around California. You can search for the best that can guide you in an organized way. However, it is always advised to check their degrees of the guides, reputation, and dedication to make you successful.

All these points should help you move in the right direction to pass CALE and NCCAOM exams. TCM Review Seminars is one of the best courses to join. They create, organize, and present the essential information to provide you with guides and preparation services for these tests. Get started with your preparations with TCM Review Seminars, today. Good luck!

Acupuncture Vancouver – Find out how Acupuncture Can Help

Acupuncture Vancouver – Find out how Acupuncture Will Help

With a good 2000 to 3000 years, Traditional Chinese Medicine has formed a distinctive system to identify and heal disease.TCM and Acupuncture has moved from a traditional Chinese method to a widely accepted way to treat different styles of injury and diseases. It has additionally evolved and possesses recently been incorporated in many different types of bodily as well as bodily problems. A number of believe acupuncture could possibly be just as powerful as standard physiotherapy when the treatment of certain injuries.

Acupuncture, one specialized technique of TCM, literally means to puncture using a fine, metal sterile needle through the skin at unique factors (acupoints) along specific routes.es.

In normal health, power circulates freely along the meridians. Any time the circulation is obstructed, diseases and pain can take place. Manipulation from the needles on the acupoints unblocks the obstructions to regain a healthy state. Remedies with TCM not only can reduce the symptoms and treat the actual reasons for diseases, but could also strengthen the body’s energy and harmonize the entire body. In Traditional western medicine concept, acupuncture stimulates the discharge of endorphins, an all natural medication produced in our body.

Best Benefits of Acupuncture Vancouve

Having knowledgeable acupuncturists the strength of the acupuncture procedure can have much more of your positive affect on your body. The body reacts to positive energy and acupuncture can manipulate energy flow and patterns in very positive ways.

Health improvements of Vancouver Acupuncture

The World Health Organization (WHO) along with the National Institute of Health (NIH) recognize Acupuncture as satisfactory alternative for a lot of conditions including bun not limited by:

#Headache
#Frozen Shoulder
#Tennis Elbow
#Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
#Lower Back Pain
#Sciatica
#Osteo-Arthritis
#Fibromyalgia (general muscle pain)
#Menstrual Cramps
#Digestive Disorders
#Nausea, Vomiting and other illnesses

If you are interested to know how acupuncture may work for your condition, please feel free to make a consultation at our clinic. South Centre Physiotherapy offers experienced acupuncturists to help our clients reach their goals.Being familiar with Acupuncture Vancouve As well as Strengths Online

Acupuncture and Arthritis

Inflammation and joint pain is common to all of the family of ailments known collectively as arthritis. Doctors have, for many years, searched for a permanent cure for arthritis. Since many forms of arthritis are generally incurable, most doctors focus on treatment to relieve the painful symptoms of arthritis rather than looking for a cure.

Now, however, a new study connects acupuncture and relief of arthritis symptoms. The study said that the combination of acupuncture and arthritis can significantly reduce pain and improve function in those suffering osteoarthritis of the knee.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is practice of traditional Chinese medicine where very thin needles are placed into the body at various acu-points. This is thought to help unblock the clogged energy channels and thus, help ease pain as a result of such blockage.

Acupuncture, one of the oldest medical procedures in the world, is a practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM is based on the idea that the body’s life force, also called “qi,” flows along the body in pathways known as meridians. While now practiced widely throughout the world, acupuncture started in Chine over 2000 years ago. As the pain relieving benefits of acupuncture become more well known in the United States, the procedure is become much more accepted and sought out here as well.

While it may sound painful to be stuck with needles, acupuncture is not the torture some may believe it to be. Most adherents of acupuncture suggest that there is only a slight sting when the needles prick the skin. The remainder of the procedure is not painful. The needles used by acupuncturists are very thin, very smooth, and are solid. They are not hollow like needles used in most medical procedures. Acupuncture sessions vary in duration, depending on the treatment that is being given. When it comes to acupuncture and arthritis, treatment may require two sessions a week and may last for several months.

National Institutes of Health Study on Arthritis and Acupuncture.

The study on acupuncture and arthritis was conducted by the US National Institute of Health (NIH). The study, one of the largest and longest on record, reported that participants receiving acupuncture had 40 percent improvement in function and a 40 percent decrease in pain.

The study, conducted by rheumatologists and acupuncturists, included 570 patients, aged 50 and over, with osteoarthritis of the knee. Study participants either received acupuncture, the treatment equivalent of a placebo, or a self help treatment program (the control group).

“For the first time, a clinical trial with sufficient rigor, size, and duration has shown that acupuncture reduces the pain and functional impairment of osteoarthritis of the knee,” said Stephen E. Straus, M.D., NCCAM Director. “These results also indicate that acupuncture can serve as an effective addition to a standard regimen of care and improve quality of life for knee osteoarthritis sufferers.

Relieving Epileptic Seizures With Acupuncture

Persons suffering from epilepsy are usually treated with antiepileptic drugs, however it has been observed that patients taking antiepileptic drugs continue to suffer from seizures and worst, the drugs have many negative side effects that only make the patients suffer more.

Thus, more and more epileptic patients have resorted to alternative therapies hoping to find a cure to their conditions, and acupuncture was one of the traditional medicines that those patients have found relief from.

Epileptic patients found out that ancient treatments such as acupuncture helps minimize seizures.
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine that was first used as anesthetic in ancient China over 3,000 years ago. It was only in the 1970’s that acupuncture treatment was introduced in Canada and in the United States. Since then, it has been the most requested supplementary treatment to conventional drugs.

Although most people used acupuncture as a synonym to traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is actually one branch of TCM. Traditional Chinese medicine actually includes exercise, herbal treatments, and diet.

Acupuncturist Bob Clarke of Open Gate Acupuncture Herbal Medicine Clinic in Oregon said that acupuncture is an effective treatment for epilepsy as he has already treated several patients with epilepsy and acupuncture actually helped reduced the severity and the frequency of their seizures.

The ancient treatment method of acupuncture prevents and treats illnesses by restoring the body’s energy balance, which is largely different when compared to western medicine.

Acupuncture treatments focus on rejuvenating the life force of the body’s system. Based on the acupuncture concept, the human body has pathways dubbed as the meridians where the body’s vital energy known as Qi, flows. The acupuncture points are located along the meridians. These points are associated to specific organs in the body.

When the Qi flow is obstructed, illnesses occur. The aim of acupuncture is to restore the harmony of the opposing energy forces of the body, the yin and yang, to reestablish the normal flow of the Qi.

To do this, acupuncturists use specialized acupuncture needles to stimulate the acupuncture points located along the meridians otherwise known as the body’s twelve energy channels.

For epileptic persons, acupuncture points that are associated with brain energy are given more focus to restore the normal flow of blood to the head.

Contrary to some belief, acupuncture does not only relieve symptoms of illnesses but rather it aims to treat the root cause of the illness. Acupuncture offers a holistic approach; it actually helps the body heal itself by restoring balance between the emotional, physical, and the spiritual aspects of a person.

However, acupuncture is far from a self-help treatment. Each acupuncture session must only be administered by a licensed acupuncturist. In the United States practitioners must pass the licensure exam before they can practice.