Acupuncture is a component of the health care system of
China that can be traced back at least 2,500 years. The
general theory of acupuncture is based on the premise that
there are patterns of energy flow (Qi) through the body
that are essential for health. Disruptions of this flow are
believed to be responsible for disease. Acupuncture may, it
has been theorized, correct imbalances of flow at
identifiable points close to the skin.
The practice of acupuncture to treat identifiable
pathophysiological (disease) conditions in American
medicine was rare until the visit of President Richard M.
Nixon to China in 1972. Since that time, there has been an
explosion of interest in the United States and Europe in
the application of the technique of acupuncture to Western
medicine.
Acupuncture is a family of procedures involving
stimulation of anatomical locations on or in the skin by a
variety of techniques. There are a variety of approaches to
diagnosis and treatment in American acupuncture that
incorporate medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea,
and other countries. The most thoroughly studied mechanism
of stimulation of acupuncture points employs penetration of
the skin by thin, solid, metallic needles, which are
manipulated manually or by electrical stimulation.
Are there standards for acupuncture needles?
After reviewing the existing body of knowledge, the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed acupuncture
needles from the category of "experimental medical
devices." The FDA now regulates acupuncture needles, just
as it does other devices such as surgical scalpels and
hypodermic syringes, under good manufacturing practices and
single-use standards of sterility.
Fibromyalgia, formerly
known as fibrositis, causes chronic pain, stiffness, and
tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints without detectable inflammation. Fibromyalgia patients have an unusually low pain threshold. Symptoms of fibromyalgia include fatigue, abnormal sleep, mental/emotional disturbances, abdominal pain, migraine and tension headaches, and irritable bladder. Treatment of fibromyalgia involves patient education, medication, exercise, and stress reduction.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is cancer of the lymphatic system, a vital part of the body's immune system. Symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, fever, night sweats, coughing, weakness, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, and abdominal pain. Treatment depends on which type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma you have, the stage of the cancer, your age, how fast the cancer is growing, and whether you have other health problems.
Cervical cancer is cancer of the entrance to the womb (uterus). Regular pelvic exams and Pap testing can detect precancerous changes in the cervix. Precancerous changes in the cervix may be treated with cryosurgery, cauterization, or laser surgery. The most common symptom of cancer of the cervix is abnormal bleeding.
Neck pain (cervical pain) may be caused by any number of disorders and diseases. Tenderness is another symptom of neck pain. Though treatment for neck pain really depends upon the cause, treatment typically may involve heat/ice application, traction, physical therapy, cortisone injection, topical anesthetic creams, and muscle relaxants.
Restless leg syndrome (RLS or restless legs syndrome) is a common cause for painful legs that typically eases with motion, and becomes worse and more noticeable at rest. This characteristic nighttime worsening can frequently lead to insomnia. Treatment of the symptoms of restless leg syndrome is generally with medication as well as treating any underlying condition causing restless leg syndrome.
Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression that tends to occur as the days grow shorter in the fall and winter. Symptoms of seasonal affective disorder include tiredness, fatigue, depression, irritability, body aches, poor sleep and overeating.
Chronic pain is pain (an unpleasant sense of discomfort) that persists or progresses over a long period of time. In contrast to acute pain that arises suddenly in response to a specific injury and is usually treatable, chronic pain persists over time and is often resistant to medical treatments.
People who have bladder spasms, the sensation occurs suddenly and often severely. A spasm itself is the sudden, involuntary squeezing of a muscle. A bladder spasm, or "detrusor contraction," occurs when the bladder muscle squeezes suddenly without warning, causing an urgent need to release urine. The spasm can force urine from the bladder, causing leakage. When this happens, the condition is called urge incontinence or overactive bladder.
Normally, the bladder gently fills with urine and you slowly become aware of
the need to urinate. This feeling is your cue to start looking for a
bathroom.
But in people who have bladder spasms, the sensation occurs suddenly and
often severely. A spasm itself is the sudden, involuntary squeezing of a
muscle. A bladder spasm, or "detrusor contraction," occurs when the
bladder muscle squeezes suddenly without warning, causing an urgent need to
release urine. The spasm can force urine from the bladder, causing leakage.
When this happens, the condition is called urge incontinence or overactive bladder.
People who have had such spasms describe them as a cramping pain and
sometimes as a burning sensation. Some women with severe bladder spasms
compared the muscle contractions to severe menstrual cramps and even labor
pains experienced during childbirth.
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