A news item caught my eye at the start of 2007. More American women are now experimenting with acupuncture and pain relief during labor.

Even if acupuncture for childbirth has been the subject of scientific research for many years now, it seems that its popularity on such a massive scale has only recently caught on.

Acupuncture therapy is currently used at New York’s Lutheran Medical Center. But rather than being used for healing any illness, the treatment is used to relax and soothe women who are about to give birth. Doctors say that acupuncture really does help ease the pain of childbirth.

I don’t about you, but I find it comforting that acupuncture and pain relief during labor is now being seriously considered by medical doctors at well-known hospitals. Although its fair to say, I really don’t think I want an acupuncturist poking at me when I’m pregnant.

If it’s my doctor who suggests the treatment, however, I’m willing to give it a shot. After two deliveries that have done nothing to raise my pain threshold, I’m willing to try anything – for as long as my doctor supervises, that is.

Besides, acupuncture has already been proven in clinical studies to have an analgesic effect. Doctors at Lutheran even say that acupuncture can sometimes help get labor started.

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In ancient practice, the number of acupuncture pressure points was the same as the days in a year (365). But in modern practice, that number has exploded! Even so, the majority of acupuncturists still concentrate on traditional pressure points in the 14 meridians, which are:

1. Large-intestine
Acupuncture pressure points in back of hand/between thumb & 1st finger
Pressures are for relief from pain, constipation, diarrhea, stomach cramps, etc. Also, sore throat, painful eyes, swollen lymph nodes, rashes, etc.

2. Lung
Above wrist/inside arm
Headache, stiff neck, asthma, cough, sore throat, wrist injury

3. Stomach
Front of leg/below knee
Nausea, abdominal problems, tiredness

4. Spleen
Inner leg/above ankle
Irregular menstrual cycle, impotence, urinary problems, stomachache, backache

5. Gallbladder
Acupuncture pressure points in the base of skull
Pressures are for relief of cold, flu, headache, fever, hypertension

6. Liver
Top of foot/between 1st & 2nd toes
Irregular menstrual cycle, chest pains, headaches, hypertension

7. Pericardium
Inner arm/above wrist
Heart palpitations, nausea, spasms

8. Heart
Outer wrist
Forgetfulness, insomnia, depression, heart problems, tiredness

9. Urinary-bladder
Back of knee
Backache, leg pain, stomachache, nausea, diarrhea

10. Kidney
Acupuncture pressure points in back of inner-ankle
Pressures are for relief of toothache, sore throat, lightheadedness, asthma, lower backache, irregular mens

11. Torso (called “Triple-burner”)
Outer arm/above wrist
Problems along arms and hands, head and neck

12. Small-intestine
Side of hand/below pinkie
Stiff neck, chest pain, lumbar pain, fever, night-sweats

13. Governing-vessel
Top of head
Headache, lightheadedness, nasal blockage, speech problems

14. Conception-vessel
Acupuncture pressure points slightly below navel
Pressures are for stomach/menstrual/urinary/ disorders, hernias, diarrhea

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Did you know that, unlike other acupuncture theories, the connection between tongue acupuncture and autism was first shown before a gathering of scientists and doctors?

Tongue acupuncture and autism were subjects of a 2001 paper presented at the 17th World Congress of Neurology in London.

This surprised the scientific community familiar with this mode of healing because before then the tongue was never among the common acupuncturist targets.

The University of Hong Kong’s Division of Child Neurology was represented by Dr. Virginia Wong, who revealed that she and colleague Dr. JG Sun believe they have found the tongue’s acupuncture points that affect the organs in the human body – particularly those that give relief from the symptoms of autism.

To test autism sympathetic points in tongues, the doctors chose 30 random subjects: kids from ages 3 through 15. One set of kids got standard education and therapy, while the other got the standard program and tongue acupuncture. All kids had reached plateaus on the standard program when the study began.

Children who underwent tongue acupuncture showed an average change of 12 points in the Functional Independence Measure, compared to 0.005 in the other group.

What’s more there was a big improvement in self care and cognition, plus a big difference in the Parental Stress Index, the Ritvo-Freeman Real Life Index, the Caregiver Global Impression Scale, among other communication and relational indices.

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Is it any wonder that many couples wanting to get pregnant are now exploring acupuncture infertility treatments given the high costs of in vitro fertilization?

Acupuncture infertility treatment has to do with creating a balance in the reproductive system through less invasive means than, say, ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), in which a sperm is injected directly into an egg.

Since it involves no surgery and is, as yet, on the fringes of Western medicine, it is inexpensive. But is it effective? Studies are, so far, inconclusive.

Although acupuncture claims to raise your “fertility quotient” it is hard to determine if a man’s sperm count, for instance, was not raised simply because of a certain panacea effect from the procedure.

The “hormonal adjustments” to the menstrual cycle said to be made on a woman’s reproductive system, on the other hand, may be explained by the procedure’s relaxing effect.

Even scientists will agree that the procedure may create a relaxing experience for some people. But as far as direct cause and effect between acupuncture and fertility is concerned, there is so far no scientific basis.

Since Eastern and Western medical practitioners have, for now, probably given up on convincing each other, it can only be stated that acupuncture’s healing properties (whether they have to do with inducing pregnancy or not) may work for some people.

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The Centers for Disease Control has stated that one in three Americans is affected by Arthritis which equates to a huge 70 million individuals. Arthritis is one of the top most prevalent diseases in the US and is the principal source of disability.

As people get older arthritis pain and inflammation is unavoidable for many. The majority of people over 50 have at least some indications of arthritis because joint naturally deteriorate as you get older. Despite this, arthritis can be successfully managed through acupuncture for arthritis pain and Chinese medicine.

On the contrary to common belief arthritis isn’t actually a single disease. Arthritis is a disorder consisting of over one hundred different conditions and is able to occur at any point though out a person’s life. The two top most frequent types are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Even though these two arthritis types are caused very differently, have different risk factors and affect a person’s body in different ways they in fact usually both have one symptom in common, relentless pain occurring at the joints.

Chinese medical theory says that arthritis occurs when the cyclical flow of Qi is blocked in the meridians. This blockage is known as ‘bi’ type pain which is well studied and can be successfully remedied with the use of acupuncture for arthritis pain and Chinese herbs. In fact acupuncture and Chinese medicine has been shown to be highly effective for relieving the inflammation and pain connected with all varieties of arthritis.

Traditional Chinese medicine doesn’t look at arthritis as one specific condition, rather it tries to remedy each particular set of symptoms specific to an individual through a host of methods including acupuncture for arthritis pain, bodywork, Chinese herbs, lifestyle/dietary advice and vigorous exercise routines to help re-establish imbalances through out the patients body.

During a procedure of acupuncture for arthritis pain the points used are not only over the effected areas but are situated all over the body. The small acupuncture needles may be positioned on your legs, shoulders, arms and possibly your little toe.

Acupuncture needles are so small and thin several can fit into the centre of a hypodermic needle. Suffice to say there is little or no feeling when an acupuncture needle is inserted. Some individuals do report a brief moment of discomfort when the needle is placed in the skin; however this is only for an instant and soon after most patients relax and may even fall asleep during the acupuncture treatment.

The procedure of acupuncture for arthritis pain will vary in length and frequency in which it will need to be carried out. Normally the treatment will last for five to thirty minutes and will need to be performed once to twice a week. Quite often certain symptoms are in fact calmed after just one acupuncture procedure, however, the more severe complaints will likely require many more treatments.

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There is always a constant flow of individuals trying to stop smoking and many usually find their will power shrink pretty quick. If you are a smoker or have been in the past I’m sure you can sympathise with this fact. Stopping smoking is very difficult to do and gets harder the longer you are a smoker. Nicotine is a strong addiction and the smoking habit becomes ingrained in to your daily routine. Some individuals can even find smoking to be as addictive as heroin or cocaine.

As an unconventional method for smoking cessation, acupuncture to stop smoking has been growing in popularity. Acupuncture is repeatedly instructed in courts as treatment for drug addicts due to is capacity for reducing withdrawal symptoms and aiding in control over cravings.

Studies have led to estimates that state 2 to 3 attempts at stopping smoking are usually required before a smoker finally stops smoking for good. After smokers have tried and failed at the more conventional methods such as nicotine patches or gum they start to look to more alternative methods for stopping their smoking habit. This is where smokers start to look at acupuncture to stop smoking and break their habit.

What must be realised is that acupuncture is not a magic cure or miracle solution to the addictions of any drug, including smoking. However, what acupuncture is effective in providing is the ability to aid in stopping smoking by making it easier plus it also helps an individual to stay smoke free. If a person is greatly motivated and really is ready to stop smoking, acupuncture is able to empower the individual to take charge of their habit and start a much healthier smoke free lifestyle.

How Does ‘Acupuncture to Stop Smoking’ Work?

Acupuncture is converting more and more smokers in to lasting non-smokers, however, as previously stated acupuncture to stop smoking is not a ‘cure’ or complete solution for stopping smoking. What acupuncture can do for you is lessen the cravings and lower the withdrawal symptoms often connected with quitting a drug. A successful and proper acupuncture course will require patient preparation, commitment from the patient and training regards what acupuncture can and can�t do for the acupuncture patient.

Chinese medicine tries to remedy certain symptoms exclusive to the particular individual and does so through the use of a whole host of different methods; acupuncture, bodywork, Chinese herbs, lifestyle/dietary suggestions and last but not least vigorous exercises all helping to re-establish imbalances in the patient.

Before commencing an acupuncture to stop smoking program your acupuncturist will likely interview you in order to understand you particular situation. This includes knowing your smoking habits, carrying out a physical examination which will probably involve a blood pressure test, measuring your pulse and studying your tongue. All the physical and emotional symptoms that you are undergoing aids in building a good understanding which your acupuncturist can use to construct an acupuncture to stop smoking plan dedicated to you and your particular situation.

The acupuncture to stop smoking treatments will concentrate around the cravings, jitters, restlessness and irritability usually found when a smoker is trying to stop smoking. The acupuncture treatment will also help with detoxification and relaxation in the patient.

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If you are looking to go to acupuncture school to learn the practice then this is the resource for you. A comprehensive search of worldwide acupuncture schools. Click the link below to visit the search page where you can find your local acupuncture school or course.

You have two ways to perform a search for the acupuncture school:

1. By entering your post/zip code and selecting a proximity distance you would like the acupuncture school to be within.
2. or.. simply by selecting the state or city you would like the acupuncture school/course to be in.

To further your acupuncture school search criteria you can also search for specific types of schools and/or courses:

• Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
• Herbal Medicine
• Massage
• Oriental Body Work
• Continuing Education
• Distance Learning
• Masters Degree
• Doctorate Degree

Visit the Acupuncture school/course finder by clicking here.

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Find an acupuncture practitioner using the Acufinder.com search directory.

Acufinder.com provide a comprehensive worldwide searchable directory to help you find an acupuncture practitioner local to you.

To start your search through a complete list of licensed acupuncturists visit the link below:

http://www.acufinder.com/search_acupuncturists.php

To find an acupuncture practitioner you simply enter your zip/postal code and distance, or search by city or state/province. You can also further specify your search by selecting different criteria.

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Acupuncturists propose that the origin of migraine headaches are imbalances in your body’s flow of chi (Qi) energy. Acupuncture is used to restore the balance in chi energy, thus treating both the cause & pain of the migraine. Acupuncture for migraines can alleviate the pain of a migraine attack, however, acupuncture is better utilized as a method for keeping migraines at bay and from appearing in the first place.

Prior to treating a patients migraine via acupuncture, the headache location needs to be determined. The head contains a lot of meridians and so the headaches position depicts the meridians involved.

Some examples are:

• Pain experienced in the occiput & nape of your neck signifies an obstruction in the bladder meridian.
• If you experience pain around your forehead & just above your eyes this indicates the stomach meridian.
• Temple pain & pain on the side of your head is associated with your gallbladder meridian.
• If the top of your head is in pain this points to an inequality in the liver meridian.

These different migraines and headaches are alleviated through acupuncture treatment at the specific points relating to the areas experiencing pain. As well as this an acupuncturist needs to understand the migraine pain you are experiencing; whether it can be linked to certain foods, time of day, weather patterns or any other correlations that can be made. Once the acupuncturist has established your migraine pain type the acupuncturist can then create and implement the appropriate acupuncture for your migraine or headache that will re-establish chi flow within your body thus minimising the possibility of returning migraine/headache attacks.

Acupuncture for migraines has many times in the past been reported as an effective solution for migraine headaches. However, the precise reason of cause is still to this day unknown. There is speculation that endorphins (the brains natural painkillers) are released during acupuncture for migraines. An alternative theory suggests migraine acupuncture could be stabilizing the levels of serotonin which is the brain’s chemical messenger. In New Zealand research has been carried out that showed acupuncture migraine patients have a much smaller number of migraines which are much less severe after just twelve acupuncture for migraines treatment sessions. Acupuncture for migraines can sometimes be combined with diet changes, lifestyle changes, vitamin supplements, Chinese herbs and other additional treatments.

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Acupuncture face lifts have been growing in popularity due to their potential nature of bringing back a youthful appearance to a persons face whilst avoiding all the possible risks and pains of a face lift operation through conventional plastic surgery.

The acupuncture face lift is a more natural substitute to other well-known and traditional methods for a face lift via plastic surgery, chemical/laser peels or injections. The acupuncture face lift method only requires one procedure as opposed to the 3, 4 or even 5 varied and costly procedures of normal face lift methods. Acupuncture face lifts also tend to have no negative side effects unlike the more common face lift operations that can leave your face looking puffy, burned, stretched and banded. A person’s facial character will still be present and not effected through acupuncture either. The acupuncture face lift succession of treatments boosts blood circulation to the individuals face encouraging collagen production for improved muscle tone and elasticity which is what prevents wrinkles from forming on the face.

Some results you should expect to experience from Acupuncture face lifts are:

• Skin will be more fair and delicate
• A decrease of wrinkles
• Fine lines will fade and deeper lines will reduce
• Sagginess will also reduce
• Fatigued eyelids will lift up
• Age spots will clear and reduce
• A general rejuvenation all over, not only on your face.

Acupuncture’s belief is that if your chi energy is blocked in your body this can promote imbalances and illness. The placement of acupuncture needles at particular points on a person’s body can free up the chi energy blockages allowing the chi energy to flow freely again bringing back good health and well being. Using acupuncture needles on the face together with herbs encourages the circulation of Qi (chi) & blood in the face and also controls it’s flow in the body. Acupuncture face lift patients visibly look and feel younger, banish and reduce wrinkles & blemishes, plus they can see their face achieve a better color, shape, and texture.

Even though a few standard doctors query the acupuncture treatment method there have been recent studies proving acupuncture can help ease pain from arthritis and alleviate arthritis in general. However, there are in fact not really enough studies under taken to fully prove whether or not acupuncture does work or not.

Acupuncture face lift treatments are changing all the time and there isn’t a set standard for performing a acupuncture face lift. Each acupuncturist will have their own system for the procedure. Usually it adheres to the same steps as regular acupuncture treatment where the acupuncturist will examine your general health, sleeping, eating and fitness habits and check your stress level. This enables the acupuncturist to create an individual acupuncture face lift treatment plan for each patient. The main elements used in acupuncture face lift treatments are the insertion of acupuncture needles to the face and also the possible ingestion of Chinese herbs as well.

Some people may be alarmed at having needles place in their face but there really is nothing to be concerned about because there is no pain involved, no scars, bruises or irritations are caused. Apart from a slight discomfort when the needles are pushed in to your facial skin there are no issues to be worried about and immediately after the acupuncture face lift treatment you are able to go straight back to your normal everyday activities.

In order to see positive results the acupuncture patient may need to complete a series of acupuncture treatments. The duration of the acupuncture face lift treatment, which can vary from 6 to 25 treatments, depends on the severity of the patients circumstance. If your skin contains more wrinkles you will need more treatment, however, on a positive note some acupuncture face lift patients have said they achieved results from after just one treatment. The acupuncture procedure will need to be carried out every week to start with and then every other week after a few months. The results from acupuncture face lifts last many years and only require repeating as often you feel necessary. Many acupuncture face lift patients enjoy the treatment as it is a very relaxing sensation and process.

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