The application of electricity is not new in medical therapy. It is used in high/mild levels in emergency situations (defibrillators) and in low levels (in acupuncture treatments).
There are several different acupuncture techniques that can be used for treating stress, pain and various health issues. One of these is electro-acupuncture which applies a low level electrical charge to the needle. This procedure was initially tried in the U.S during the 1930s and 1940s but failed to become popular for some reason. However, the past few decades has shown a renewed interest in this type of acupuncture procedure.
The points in which acupuncture needles are applied to treat various illnesses are tender spots. It is now possible for researchers to stimulate these acupuncture points by using an electrical device. They may also utilize infrared photography to identify the different temperatures between these acupoints and their surrounding areas. The researchers have discovered that there are different patterns of electricity in the nearby cells whenever certain symptoms are manifested by the patient.
Acupuncture has also been promoted by other researchers who have studied electricity applied to therapies. One scientist was able to regenerate animal tissue by using low level electricity to targeted parts of the body. Some scientists have even been able to restore heart tissue using low level electricity without any scarring. Also, when low level electricity pulses are applied on broken bones, it led to a significant and rapid healing of bone fractures compared to those who received no such treatment.
Those researches associate with acupuncture, a treatment that helps restore the smooth flow of energy through certain regions of the body. Healing cannot take place when there is not enough energy in the body. When a person gets acupuncture treatment, the energy circulation to a specific region is restored. Bone studies have revealed that the broken bones in certain parts of the body in patient respond very well to acupuncture therapy. It helps facilitates the healing process. Acupuncture has also been able to effectively treat heartbeat abnormalities and this can be proven in EKG results.
When an acupuncture needle is inserted into the skin, it causes a change in electrical activity the site of treatment. This effect can be shown in Kirilian photography that show that all cells possess electrical charges that the shape of the energy at a certain acupoint prior to acupuncture treatment significantly differs to post acupuncture treatment.
The discovery of a relationship between electricity and acupuncture has led to an increase in the number of acupuncture techniques. Acupuncture basically involves the simple sticking of a needle into the skin. The depth, location, and manipulation will bring about the desired outcome. Other natural healing methods are herbal medicine and moxibustion, which is the application of heat. Now an extra technique involving the use of low level electricity has been added to acupuncture treatment. All these various procedures are providing new areas of research for people interested in the field of natural medicine.
Scott Paglia is a licensed and board certified acupuncturist in Bellingham, WA and provides master level pulse diagnosis, Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture in Whatcom County, WA.