Introduction to Acupuncture
The tool that used to cause fear and terror for me during childhood and adolescence, became one of the biggest mysteries of my life during adulthood and eventually, by fascinating me, turned me into a doctor.
Acupuncture: Can acupuncture really cure diseases?
In the modern world, at the height of technology and advances in medical sciences, it may seem laughable at first glance to claim that diseases can be treated with just a few needles of various sizes without medication and sometimes without the need for surgery.
However, people who are truly seeking knowledge do not easily dismiss anything, and only fanatics still believe that only a man-made agent like various drugs can cure diseases. These fanatics are not just doctors, but also patients. It should be noted that not all doctors are fanatics and not all patients expect to be treated with medication or sometimes surgery.
What am I saying?
After years of expertise in acupuncture, I have come to the conclusion that both Eastern and Western medical sciences are wrong if each one considers itself superior, and this is not only a great mistake, but also a foolishness that is played with human life. I love acupuncture and have spent half of my life on it: in September 2017, I am 40 years old.
Apart from ethical and human rights considerations in choosing a treatment method, there is another aspect, which is the truth of the treatment in medical sciences. Regardless of the claims of each method in being superior, the important thing is the improvement of the patient and not the treatment method. Each treatment method has its own positive and negative aspects, and it is not possible to claim superiority for one method. For example, in emergency situations, any Eastern medical science will not have any effectiveness, while many diseases that modern medical science cannot cure fall within the scope of acupuncture or other Eastern medical methods. Eastern medicine, especially acupuncture, has no side effects, and perhaps this is the only point that can be used to maneuver for superiority, but under no circumstances do I consider the lack of side effects in a treatment method as a factor in superiority in treatment and I do not accept it.
The important issue that on the one hand makes modern medical science superior is the speed of treatment, such as surgeries, especially emergency surgeries. The life and death of a human being depend on the speed of a doctor’s action, but it should also be acknowledged that emergency cases are few in the general field of medical sciences. Some surgeries do not really require them, and they can be treated with acupuncture, but some others cannot be cured, although they can be controlled. There are many factors involved in both medical sciences, which are almost the same, such as body resistance, genetics, patient and family cooperation, and subsequently, psychological and mental problems. In my opinion, the balance scale for both medical sciences is equal in general, and it is not possible to give a better score to one of these methods. Extraordinary work has been done in both medical methods, and there are many documents and certificates available. Organ transplantation is one of the wonders of modern medicine, and the treatment of diseases that have no other treatment and have been treated by Eastern medicine is one of them. Personally, when I suffer from a disease, I use both methods, which is faster and has much fewer side effects, and has also had better results. Before entering the world of acupuncture, I find it necessary to mention why I have chosen acupuncture for discussion. First, it is the only treatment method in Eastern medicine that has zero side effects. Second, my main expertise is in acupuncture, and I have much less knowledge and experience in other treatment methods, so I am talking about my expertise and experience.
Of course, the (two-channel cupping) method is my own invention, which is an interesting method in the Eastern bloodletting system. Usually, this operation takes between 45 to 60 minutes using my method. It’s not necessary to perform cupping on every point of the body, but it’s sufficient to perform cupping on the two main channels with a specific and precise distance from the liver and spleen channels. Since the liver and spleen control the whole body, they can also treat the rest of the body slowly and regularly. In this method, my hands must be trained to detect the negative flow of blood above the two channels of the liver and spleen, which requires a lot of practice. As I started studying Eastern sciences with energy fields, I can better find positive and negative pulses in the body. I have been able to treat acute lumbar and neck discs, high and low blood pressure, diabetes, body metabolism regulation, and in some cases, MS and paralysis due to high blood pressure or stroke with this cupping method, which requires a lot of patience and control of the patient’s body temperature during the procedure, while also paying attention to the psychology of the patient during treatment. I believe that cupping, along with acupuncture, can be a great help in returning the body to a balanced state for some patients with psychiatric disorders. Over the years, it has been proven to me and my patients that these methods can be very useful. There are many factors involved in the development and treatment of a disease, so one method cannot be useful for everyone.
In acupuncture, the angle and even the height of the patient’s body from the ground play a key role because you have to calculate the magnetic circuit flow of the body relative to each needle you insert. The latitude and longitude of the earth’s magnetic field and equator at different times are also very important and vital, although observing these points is not necessary for the treatment of all diseases that can be treated with acupuncture. However, the treatment of difficult-to-treat diseases and sometimes very specific diseases requires attention to the points I mentioned. Although I have used both factors myself, that is, I have observed these points and sometimes I have not, when I observed these points, the results were at least 60% better. Diagnosing the electromagnetic circuit of the earth relative to the patient’s body in the geographic region you are in can be felt and observed mentally and does not generally require special equipment. I have previously determined accurate hours for treating diseases with acupuncture based on the geographical position of Iran relative to the north and south magnetic fields, which you will see on the map. What is important in acupuncture is very high accuracy in finding positive and negative points in the body.
In my opinion, training to cultivate the five senses is essential in the acupuncture method because it helps greatly in finding the correct points for needle insertion. A balanced relationship with the patient must also be very sensitive and precise because the patient’s lack of cooperation can greatly mislead you and cause you to insert needles in the wrong points. The physician’s mastery of nerves and concentration is also very vital. When you are angry or stressed, never attempt to use acupuncture treatment because not only will there be no healing, but you will also unconsciously transfer all your energy to the patient’s body. If this happens, it will only add to the problem because this transfer will be reversed. Therefore, if you want to avoid switching places with the patient and achieve a positive outcome, you must have control over your own nerves and never attempt treatment when angry, anxious, or stressed. Acupuncture may not have any adverse effects on patients, but it can certainly be dangerous for you as an Oriental Physician. So, be sure to pay attention to the safety points I mentioned and follow them carefully. Although acupuncture treatment has no age restrictions, I cannot guarantee that it can treat all diseases. There are always factors that change the treatment from certainty to relative, including weather conditions, genetics, diet, proper breathing, culture, customs, ethical and psychological conditions. These factors often prevent the treatment from being fully successful or showing any change, although it is rare for there to be no change at all.
In a statement issued by WHO in 1977, the treatment of the following diseases by acupuncture was confirmed:
1. Motor system diseases
2. Myofascial pain syndromes
3. Radicular pseudopains syndromes
4. Neuralgia and rheumatoid arthritis
5. Cervical spine syndromes
6. Spondylitis-torticollis
7. Thoracal-Syndrom
8. Lumbar spine syndromes
9. Lombago-sciatica-Coccygodinia
10. Hand and shoulder syndromes
11. Frozen shoulder
12. Epicondylitis
13. Knee joint pain and osteoarthritis
14. Hip joint pain and osteoarthritis
15. Carpal tunnel syndrome
16. Sudeck-Tendiopathy
Achilles tendonitis
In addition to the diseases listed in my previous response, acupuncture has also been used to treat the following conditions:
1. Headaches, migraines, trigeminal neuralgia, atypical facial pain, interdental allergy, polyneuropathy, paresthesia, hemiplegia, facial paralysis, stroke, disability and cerebral inactivity, growth disorders in children.
2. Psychiatric illnesses, psychosomatic disorders, and addiction treatment such as depression, depression with irritability, sleep disorders, emotional disorders, psychosomatic disorders, addiction treatment (smoking, alcohol, drugs, medication).
3. Respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, subterranean respiratory diseases, and bronchial asthma.
4. Circulatory and heart diseases including functional heart diseases, arrhythmias, coronary artery disorders, angina pectoris, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, and circulatory disorders.
5. Digestive disorders including functional disorders of the stomach and intestines, hiccups, pregnancy vomiting, stomach and intestinal swelling, stomach and intestinal ulcers, duodenal ulcers, colitis, cholecystitis, biliary dyskinesia, hepatitis, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, diarrhea, ulcerative colitis.
6. Urinary and genital diseases such as cystitis, prostatitis, pyelonephritis, functional disorders, urinary tract infections, sensitive bladder, nocturia, sexual dysfunction.
7. Women’s health and obstetric diseases including dysmenorrhea, premenstrual syndromes, menstrual disorders, menopause syndromes, adnexitis, salpingitis, breast disorders, reproductive and infertility disorders, childbirth readiness, childbirth assistance, facilitating childbirth, breastfeeding disorders.
8. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system such as arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal disorders, back pain, sciatica, tendonitis, fibromyalgia, frozen shoulder.
9. Ear, nose, and throat diseases such as rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, hearing loss, deafness, dizziness, motion sickness, laryngitis, tinnitus, ear swelling, disorders of taste and smell, voice disorders.
10. Eye diseases such as conjunctivitis, blepharitis, glaucoma.
11. Skin diseases such as neurodermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, acne, infectious skin diseases, decubitus ulcers, wounds, fever blisters, and shingles.
Tumor pain, post-surgical pain, pain after trauma, toothache, and shock condition or disorders in the body’s internal resistance and immune system are all conditions that Eastern medicine scientists have contributed to treating through acupuncture. These diseases have been reviewed and confirmed by the World Health Organization. It is difficult to explain to Western medical professionals that the nature of modern medicine is essentially Eastern, and that what we have today is simply advanced ancient methods. It is worth noting that ancient Eastern medicine is not exclusive to the East, as lost ancient peoples in Cuba have been found to have had heart transplants 4500 to 6000 years ago. However, most traditional medical methods have Eastern roots, and this claim has been the subject of much discussion and research for years.
Professor Farahani, has successfully treated the following diseases through acupuncture. It is worth noting that these statistics include both complete treatments and incomplete treatments, as it was a 22-year research project:
– Prostate cancer – Research
– Breast cancer – Research
– Stomach cancer – Research
– Adenocarcinoma – Research
– Tongue and liver metastasis cancer – Research
– Blood cancer – Research
– Genetic brain tumor – Research
– Uterine cancer – Research
– Malignant brain tumors – Research
– Malignant muscle tumors – Research
– Complete blindness – Research
– Complete deafness – Research
– Hepatitis in all three types – Research
– HIV positive: 2 cases – Research
– High blood pressure – Research
– Low blood pressure – Research
– Stroke and heart attack – Research
– Complete paralysis due to stroke – Research
– Paralysis due to heart attack – Research
– Diabetes in all three types – Research
– Sexual disorders – Research
– Hormonal disorders – Research
– Psychological disorders – Research
– Mental disorders – Research
– Acute seizures – Research
– Delusions and aggressive behavior – Research
– Radioactive contamination – Research
– Diabetic ulcers – Research
– Acute stomach ulcers – Research
– Fatty liver – Research
– Constipation – Research
– Nausea – Research
– Multiple Sclerosis – Research
– Black water fever and pearl water fever – Research
– Infertility – Research
– Acute migraines – Research
– Sciatica – Research
– Arthritis – Research
– Repair of acute pelvic fractures – Research
– Parkinson’s disease – Research
– Alzheimer’s disease – Research
– Brain injuries – Research
– Blackening of the hip and cartilage repair – Research
– Cartilage repair at the age of 82 – Research
– Difficulty walking – Research
– Women’s diseases – Research
– Benign tumors – Research
– Eye glasses and near-sightedness – Research
– Asthma – Research
– Shoulder syndrome – Research
– Black zonas at the age of 75 – Research
– Severe tooth infection – Research
– Cesarean section complications – Research
– Surgical complications – Research
– Chemotherapy and radiation therapy complications – Research
– Heart diseases – Research
– Kidney diseases, such as protein, calcium, and creatinine excretion disorders – Research
– Anemia – Research
– Lung infections – Research
– Lymph node cancer – Research
– Traditional substance addiction withdrawal – Research
– Industrial substance addiction withdrawal – Research
– Height increase – Research
– Acute lumbar discs – Research
– Acute cervical discs – Research
– Facial beauty – Research
– Thyroid regulation – Research
– Effects of diabetes on eyes – Research
– Psychiatric disorders with metaphysical causes – Research
– Brain attacks – Research
– Diseases with unknown origins – Research
– Joint pain in the legs and hips – Research
– Family counseling – Research
– Marriage counseling – Research
– Educational counseling – Research
– Brain injuries and coma – Research
– Clotopathy – Research
– Regulation of menstrual cycles – Research
– Cervical arthritis – Research
– Displacement of spinal and cervical vertebrae – Research
– Eczema – Research
– Alopecia – Research
– Congenital spinal cord disease – Research
– Childhood paralysis – Research
– Genetic diseases – Research
– Acute sinusitis – Research
– Hyperactivity and ADHD – Research
– Poor memory – Research
– Spinal adhesions – Research
Sure, here’s the translation of your text:
“Acupuncture has no specific origin or history. The earliest valuable writing about acupuncture is a text written by a traveling physician named Bian-Que, which was written between 6 and 7 BC and mentions the therapeutic use of a needle in a point on a patient’s head in 90 BC. Also, needles have been found in graves from ancient times in some western Asian countries. Historical findings suggest that there is no certain evidence of acupuncture and its use in treating diseases from 100 BC. It was after this period that evidence of its existence in China was proven, and there are speculations that this phenomenon was taken from India and then developed in China. The Chinese famous theories on ancient medicine and its past can be found in the Huang Di Nei Jing collection, which includes various and sometimes conflicting contents that were discussed with slight disagreements between the Yellow Emperor and some individuals in the first and second centuries BC. They introduced acupuncture systematically and systematically in this collection.
China has been officially using the Western calendar for a long time and has made great efforts to understand and understand traditional medicine, especially acupuncture, with the West. They have entered into a tactical or coercive movement to gradually convey some of their ancient philosophical aspects to the modern and Western world on the opportunities available. After the Opium War in the 19th century, ancient and traditional Chinese systems suffered significant damage, and some of these ancient and traditional philosophies, which were considered superstitious and illogical, were modified under the influence of Western civilization and its penetration. With the start of Mao Zedong’s communist regime and its efforts to introduce more and more acceptable Western equations, traditional Chinese medicine was able to achieve many successes in many cases.
It is worth mentioning that traditional medicine is considered a blessing for the Third World, as it could treat its large population with very little cost and expenses. However, in advanced Western countries, only psycho-somatic diseases and chronic painful conditions were treated with acupuncture in the early days, after years of research. But gradually, the list of treated disorders and diseases expanded and was introduced. Advancements in acupuncture in the West: In March 1996, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially granted permission to use acupuncture. Before this date, acupuncture was classified as a Group 3 category, which had to be sent to multiple scientific centers for research and testing, and it was prohibited for public use until the positive and harmless effects of this procedure were proven. In April 1994, the Office of Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health conducted a successful experiment by inviting 13 researchers and specialists in acupuncture from different countries, along with a clinical and research group of 22 people, to study pain, addiction, stroke, asthma, nausea, and vomiting. The incredible results of this experiment and research were very positive and hopeful after a while, and with the identification and proof of the effects of acupuncture on these five diseases, research began on other disorders and diseases. The second conclusion was reached in November 1997 during a 3-day conference in Washington, D.C. by the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, on acupuncture, which was also very successful and caught the attention of US medical professionals.
They concluded that acupuncture can scientifically and practically assist health and treatment alongside modern medicine in the treatment of some disorders and diseases. The list of diseases that were approved for treatment with acupuncture in the US was approved by NIT and FDA. In recent years, alternative and complementary medicine has gained such an important position alongside modern medicine that the National Institutes of Health allocated a budget equivalent to $89 billion in 2001 and about $100 billion in 2002 for research on alternative medicine. In the past 10 years, complementary and alternative medicine programs have been established in at least 27 medical schools in the United States, including reputable medical schools such as Hopkins, Stanford, Columbia, Harvard, UCLA, and Vale Johns.
Acupuncture in Europe: Over the past 60 years, acupuncture has been able to be one of the factors in improving and treating some diseases and disorders with its traditional methods, and the reason for its success is the good effect and lack of side effects that provide satisfaction for most patients in the first place, and for doctors in the second place. More than 50,000 specialized physicians in various cities in Germany annually treat millions of patients with the help of acupuncture. For the first time in Germany, the Westfalen-Lippe Medical Association, along with research centers in other regions, launched a regular and systematic program for alternative medicine, especially acupuncture, for the treatment of nocturnal enuresis. In 2000, therapeutic use of acupuncture was allowed experimentally for three years in only three painful diseases, namely chronic headaches, chronic lower back pain, and chronic osteoarthritis, by the State Health Commission.
During this time, with the consideration of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) list of selected diseases, nausea and vomiting, stroke, drug addiction, and asthma were also added to this list. With the positive results of these scientific research studies, finally in 2005, a 350-hour complementary acupuncture training program was proposed and approved, and insurance companies also began to pay for treatment expenses after this approval. The general philosophy of acupuncture is based on non-causal relationships and phenomenology, while Western medicine considers the cause of phenomena to be of utmost importance and rejects any phenomenon that is not in line with scientific principles. However, the concept of Chinese philosophy (Taoism) does not require explanation or clarification of the cause, and only accepts the apparent and manifest functions and manifestations observed from the phenomenon. In other words, the philosophy of acupuncture is based on the holistic approach to health, which considers the human body and mind as a whole and interconnected system. It aims to balance the energy flow within the body, known as Qi, and restore harmony and balance, which leads to health and well-being.
This approach also recognizes the interdependence of humans and nature and emphasizes the importance of a healthy diet, exercise, and lifestyle in maintaining good health. Acupuncture was introduced to Europe in the early 17th century, but for many years, some skeptical individuals in Europe did not consider traditional Chinese medicine to be more than a myth, and believed that its efficacy could not be justified in a short period of time. However, over the past 50 years, as a result of the hard work of Eastern science researchers in proving the phenomena of acupuncture, most of its influential mechanisms have become apparent and have been published in reputable medical journals. The release of endorphins, serotonin, and cortisol, and their combination in the blood of patients treated with acupuncture, has been proven. Acupuncture has been able to introduce itself over the past 50 years from an unconventional and passive treatment method to a very effective phenomenon of complementary medicine that is systematic and legal, especially in the treatment of chronic diseases.
Its therapeutic effects in musculoskeletal disorders, psychosomatic disorders, and other diseases are becoming more and more evident on a daily and regular basis in private and public hospitals and clinics of Western and Eastern medicine. In Germany alone, statistics show that more than 30,000 medical doctors have participated in acupuncture academies in the past 10 years, and more than 40,000 specialized physicians have used acupuncture to treat their patients in their clinics. On average, more than 4 million patients are treated with acupuncture alone in Germany each year. A summary of the report on the satisfaction or dissatisfaction of 987 patients from 3 hospitals and 6 private clinics in Germany about the therapeutic results of acupuncture showed that 73% believed that German health centers were unable or unwilling to share the therapeutic effects of acupuncture with the public, and 44.7% believed that acupuncture does not have any therapeutic benefits. According to the information provided, 13% of people have treated their discomfort through acupuncture based on their medical knowledge. 8.16% of people have sought acupuncture treatment for each of their illnesses, and 7.43% had no information about acupuncture at all.
Acupuncture has been a common method of treatment in China and East Asian countries such as Korea, Vietnam, India, Sri Lanka, and Japan for thousands of years. From 1950, the Chinese gradually began to develop and introduce acupuncture to the European medical community, especially for the treatment of resistant pain and anesthesia during major abdominal surgeries, particularly for gynecological and obstetric diseases. After the opening of China and the freedom to travel in 1970, Western doctors entered Chinese universities to study acupuncture and, after completing their studies in traditional medicine, including its known and unknown philosophies, they were engaged in developing this method of treatment in their own countries. Over the past 70 years, Chinese scientists at the Shanghai Institute of Physiology have gradually discovered the mechanism and chemical changes in the blood and the effects of endorphin secretions and other natural pain relievers during acupuncture treatment. Furthermore, as a result of studies during this period, they have gained a greater understanding of the effects of acupuncture on psychosomatic diseases, which sometimes proved to be much more effective than modern Western medicine in treating such illnesses. In the West, numerous clinics, treatment centers, and studies have been established, similar to China and other East Asian countries. Today, almost 50% of chronic and painful musculoskeletal diseases affecting mobility are treated with acupuncture in Western medical centers.
Disorders such as asthma, allergies, gastrointestinal disorders, psychosomatic disorders, heart disease, male and female infertility and disability, menopause, migraines, various types of headaches, prostate problems, tinnitus, nausea, vomiting, neuropathy, cerebral and heart paralysis, and other diseases are among the daily treatment procedures with acupuncture. Acupuncture is considered a routine therapeutic measure. Famous American universities have established 4-year complementary courses for acupuncture specialization, and the World Health Organization and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have introduced acupuncture as an effective and therapeutic method. As the evidence shows, Westerners have discovered the positive therapeutic effects of acupuncture, while the Chinese themselves have not fully embraced it yet. This is a brief overview of acupuncture, and I refrain from repeating myself further, as it contradicts my beliefs and scientific knowledge.