Acupuncture disease management

       Modern medicine perspective of disease management

  Acupuncture and TCM perspective of disease management

            Advantage of Acupuncture Disease Management 

                       Diseases treated by Acupuncture

Modern medicine perspective of disease management

You call it disease, sickness, illness or ailment or you call it by name like arthritis, asthma, diabetes, hypothyroidism, hypertension, depression, irritable bowel disease, allergy etc. The core fact of all these is the DISORDER in the body functions with or without damage to body tissues. Every disease has some basic facts :

1. Cause of disease
2. Onset of disease
3. Progression of disease
4. Effects of disease
5. Outcome of disease

According to modern medicine, a diseased state is managed as follows

• Complete history of sickness including its onset and progress
• Clinical examination
• Investigation
• Diagnosis
• Treatment medical and/or surgical
• Lifestyle correction

But despite great advances, modern medicine at times struggle as there is insufficient relief from suffering. Around the world people are looking towards additional and alternate methods of treatment. In the process various traditional healing methods have been put under scientific studies and research. Many of them have proved effective. Of these acupuncture stands tall. In its long journey since 2500 BC, acupuncture has established itself as one of the most promising & result oriented treatment method of various diseases. Research has proved it as effective therapy. It has been accepted by World Health Organization WHO & other prominent international health organizations as a significant & useful treatment method.

Acupuncture and TCM perspective of disease management

Practitioners of acupuncture therapy give due consideration to clinical diagnosis based on modern medicine but in addition their main diagnosis of disease / disorder is based on traditional Chinese medicine’s principles of health and sickness.

Health

According to TCM, health is a state of equilibrium within the body and with the environment. Within the body this equilibrium is the dynamic balance between different forms of Qi (vital energy) as well as dynamic balance between five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) which makes the human body and helps it in functioning well. The wholeness of this equilibrium is represented as mutual and dynamic interplay of Yin and Yang. So, the three factors responsible for the state of health are:

1. Qi – The vital energy which keeps us alive. It is congenital inherited from parents and acquired from food & environment. It flows in body in fourteen channels called meridians. Its free flow is must for good health.
2. Five elements – Wood, fire, earth, metal and water are the five elements which constitutes our body and which are in constant state of transformation. Their relative balance is must for good health.
3. Yin and Yang – The structural and functional wholeness of human body is composed is composed of two factors called Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are mutually interdependent, support as well as oppose & consume each other and can be transformed into each other. Yin and Yang must remain in balance for good health.

Disease

According to TCM, disease is a state of disequilibrium in the energy system. It can be of three types:

1. Disorder of Qi (vital energy) balance
2. Disorder of five elements balance
3. Disorder of Yin and Yang balance

Cause of disease

There are various factors which can cause these disorders. These can be exogenous factors, endogenous factors or miscellaneous factors.

1. Exogenous (external) factors

1. Pathogenic (disease causing) wind
2. Pathogenic (disease causing) cold
3. Pathogenic (disease causing) heat
4. Pathogenic (disease causing) dampness
5. Pathogenic (disease causing) fire
6. Pathogenic (disease causing) dryness
7. Pathogenic (disease causing) noxious agents

1. Endogenous (internal) factors

1. Disorder of preexisting internal wind, heat, dampness, dryness, fire and cold.
2. Excessive pathogenic (disease causing) emotions like anger, worry, grief, sadness, joy, fear, fright.

1. Miscellaneous factors

1. Improper diet
2. Overstrain & stress
3. Lack of exercise
4. Excessive sexual activity
5. Lack or excess of sleep
6. Injury or poisoning

One or combination of these factors leads to various pathogenic (diseased) state. These are broadly divided into eight syndromes according to TCM.

1. Exterior syndrome
2. Interior syndrome
3. Heat syndrome
4. Cold syndrome
5. Deficiency syndrome
6. Excess syndrome
7. Yin syndrome
8. Yang syndrome

These syndromes are manifested as disorders of various body organ systems. These are diagnosed by

• History of disease / disorder to find cause and onset
• Clinical examination to find type of syndrome and disbalance

Treatment

According to TCM, the focus of treatment is to reestablish the equilibrium in

• Qi (energy system)
• Five elements
• Yin and Yang

Various techniques used in TCM to achieve this equilibrium are Acupuncture, Moxibustion and Cupping. The treatment is applied at certain specific points called acupoints which results in achieving balance.

Advantage of Acupuncture Disease Management

There are many advantages of acupuncture treatment which makes it one of the most popular and widely accepted treatment method around the world. Some of them are:

• It is a drugless therapy. There are no side effects or chances of toxicity.
• It is non invasive.
• It has been found useful in many surgical cases and avoids surgery.
• It improves body organs and functions like digestion, sleep, mental activity etc.
• It balances body systems like hormonal system, nervous system, heart & blood circulation.
• It relieves pain and suffering immediately in most cases. It is getting accepted as best treatment option in pain management.
• It improves internal body environment and energy system.
• It detoxifies body by improving elimination of wastes and toxins.
• It improves immunity and body resistance against environmental hazards and sickness.

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