Acupuncture, in the Eastern view, is part of a complete medical system called traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This system embraces acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, breathing exercises, nutrition, herbal medicine, and even philosophy.
The Western view is that acupuncture is a method of eliciting a physiologic response by stimulating specific anatomic points. Diagnosis is done by conventional means, using physical examination, laboratory examination, radiology, ultasonography, and other modern diagnostic techniques. The result is a conventional diagnosis. The practitioner then selects points that are known to have a beneficial effect on the problem being tested.
In the narrowest sense, acupuncture is the insertion of very fine needles into specific predetermined points on the body to produce physiologic responses. In addition to needles, many other methods are used to stimulate acupuncture points. These include acupressure, moxibustion, cupping, heat, and cold applied to acupuncture points as well as ultrasound, aquapuncture, electrostimulation, implantation, and the use of lasers. The specific points used, the depth to which the needles are inserted, the type of stimulation applied to the needles (prescription), and the duration of each treatment session (dosage) vary according to the condition being treated. In humans, most acupuncture points are described as lying on “meridians” or “channels” that connect loci having functional relationships. According to traditional Oriental philosophy, the acupoints communicate with the body organs and tissues through these channels. In this way, problems involving internal organs, as well as pain in joints and muscles, can be treated via points on the outside of the body. Dr. Chris Chart trained in Veterinary Acupuncture with the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and became a Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist in 1999. |
