Acupuncture - What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a technique of medical treatment, based on traditional Chinese medicine, in which a number of very fine metal needles are inserted under the skin at specially designated points. In China acupuncture been used, along with herbal medicine, for pain relief and treatment of various ailments. It has often been combined with moxabustion, the burning of leaves of moxa, the Chinese wormwood tree. Today it is widely used in China in the treatment of hay fever, headaches, and ulcers, and some types of blindness, arthritis, diarrhea, and hypertension.

Acupuncture has also recently come into use, especially in China, as a general anesthetic during childbirth and some types of surgery. Unlike conventional anesthesia, acupuncture does not reduce blood pressure or depress breathing; in addition, the patient stays fully conscious and there is no postoperative hangover or nausea.

In the practice of acupuncture, needles varying in length from 1/2 in. (1.27 cm) to several inches are inserted in appropriate points of the body, not necessarily near the affected organ. The needles are twirled and vibrated in specific ways; the depth of insertion also affects the treatment. In modern applications, a battery-powered device is often used to provide electrical stimulation through the needles. The traditional acupuncture points (there are about 800) are arranged along 14 lines, or meridians, running the length of the body from head to foot.

The traditional Chinese explanation of the effectiveness of acupuncture is based on the Taoist philosophy, according to which good health depends on a free circulation of T'chi, or life force energy, throughout all the organs of the body; this force is controlled by two forms of energy, yin (negative) and yang (positive). The meridians are the main channels of flow. When energy flow is impeded at any point, e.g., because of a diseased organ or stress, illness in other organs may result. Piercing the channels at the proper points is believed to correct the imbalances.

Western researchers have found that the acupuncture points correspond to points on the skin having less electrical resistance than other skin areas. It has been suggested that acupuncture works by stimulating or repressing the autonomic nervous system in various ways, and there is some evidence that stimulation of the skin can affect internal organs by means of nerve reflex pathways. In the United States, use of acupuncture has been generally confined to pain relief and anesthesia. In 1974 the National Institutes of Health approved the study of acupuncture for the possible management of chronic pain caused by cancer, neuralgia, and arthritis.

Homeopathic Medicine: What is it?

Homeopathy is an alternative system of medicine developed in the early 19th century, based on the concept that disease can be cured when a patient is treated with minute quantities of a substance that produces symptoms of the disease in a healthy person. Homeopathy focuses on healing the underlying cause of disease, not simply eliminating the symptoms caused by the disease. The study of homeopathy was founded in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann (1753-1843), a German physician and chemist who had become disillusioned with the conventional practice of medicine. Hahnemann based his innovative medical treatment on the healing power of a good diet, exercise, fresh air, and minimum doses of natural medications. This approach to medicine was a radical concept at the time.

Homeopathy was introduced in the United States in 1825, and the American Institute of Homeopathy--the national society of homeopathic physicians--was founded in 1844. Its popularity peaked in the late 19th century when 15 percent of American physicians were homeopaths. With the rise of modern clinical medicine near the turn of the century, homeopathy lost its popularity. However, the growth of alternative medicine since the early 1980s has garnered renewed interest in homeopathy in the United States and Great Britain.

Homeopathy is based on three principles: the law of similars, the single medicine, and the law of infinitesimals. According to the law of similars--frequently referred to as the phenomenon of "like cures like"--a disease is cured by a medicine that creates symptoms in a healthy person similar to what the patient is experiencing. Hahnemann established this principle when he investigated cinchona, the bark of a tropical evergreen tree and a natural source of quinine used to treat malaria. He observed that a healthy person who took cinchona developed symptoms of malaria, and decided that the effectiveness of the drug came from its ability to cause symptoms similar to those of the actual disease. Using this approach, a homeopathic physician prescribes medication that matches most closely the symptoms presented by an individual patient. Hahnemann used the Greek words homoios and pathos, which mean "similar sickness," to name the new approach to medical treatment.

The principle of the single medicine is based on a belief that one remedy should cover all physical, mental, and emotional symptoms experienced by a patient to cure the whole person. This practice contrasts with conventional medicine, which usually uses separate medications for the treatment of each symptom.

The law of infinitesimals was established by Hahnemann when he observed that large amounts of substances prescribed for treatments caused a wide range of negative side effects in patients. He determined through experiments that taking minute levels of a medication strengthens its potency and increases the length of its effectiveness. Homeopathic physicians use this principle as a guideline in prescribing ultra-minute levels of nontoxic medications, which are prepared from vegetable and animal tissues as well as from minerals and chemicals, to promote safe and reliable cures. The use of minimal doses is one of conventional medicine's primary objections to homeopathy. Critics note that trace amounts of ingredients used in minimal doses are so small that medications are exempt from United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requirements for scientific proof of a drug's effectiveness against disease.

Practitioners claim that homeopathy offers an effective substitute for antibiotics, is often the best treatment for viral infections, and reduces or eliminates the need for some surgical procedures. However, homeopathy also recommends the use of conventional medical treatment and surgery in cases of severe infections and serious illness.

Naturopathic physicians practice a unique combination of modern and traditional medicine. They are family doctors who see everyone from the very young to the very old for conditions ranging from recurrent infections to digestive disorders to cancer.

They look for the underlying causes of illness and endeavor to support the body's inherent healing mechanisms in order to restore health. Naturopaths look for physical, emotional, dietary, genetic, and environmental factors in a person's life that may be contributing to a lack of well-being; and they suggest changes in diet, exercise, and lifestyle to treat or to prevent illness, injury, and disease. Naturopathic physicians are trained to use modern diagnostic techniques, but unlike most medical doctors, favoring the use of surgical procedures and prescription drugs, naturopathic doctors more commonly treat with diet and lifestyle suggestions, nutritional supplements, and herbal and homeopathic remedies.

Most naturopathic doctors hold an undergraduate degree that includes the standard pre-medical courses, and they graduate from one of four 4-year, federally accredited colleges of naturopathic medicine. In their first two years they study the basic sciences — anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and pharmacology — and diagnostic skills. In the last two years, they learn specific therapies, such as nutrition, botanical medicine, and psychological counseling.