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Acupuncture for Urinary Tract Infection
There are about 11 million Americans who suffer from acute urinary tract infection each year. Urinary tract infection (UTI) affects men but most of its cases involve women. Any part of the urinary system can potentially be affected with UTI. This disease is caused by bacteria that have entered the urethra where it starts to rapidly multiply. It is seen as a debilitating condition and the pain it generates may sometimes be more painful the childbirth according to some women who have been affected by this condition.
The most commonly used conventional western treatment for UTI is antibiotics. However, the increasing resistance of the bacteria towards antibiotics forces UTI patients to cease taking antibiotics and just allow the infection to gradually go away. This often results in the rise of worse conditions in the body. Moreover, women who have a high chance of developing UTI usually utilize large doses of antibiotics before the infection actually sets in; this merely accelerates the resistance of the bacteria to the drugs.
The danger of antibiotic resistance has prompted researchers to look into other natural and alternative ways to help lessen the duration and frequency of urinary tract infections. A study done in October 2002 in Norway involving the use of acupuncture to treat gynecological conditions showed results (which were published in the American Journal of Public Health issued October 2002 issue) favoring acupuncture therapy – it showed that the rate of infection decreased by more than a half after 6 months of acupuncture treatment.
The study involved 94 women ranging 18 to 60 in age. All of these women have had urinary tract infection at least 3 times for the past 12 months with a minimum of two infections having been diagnosed as UTI and resolved by a doctor. All the women were diagnosed based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) protocols. Then they were divided into two groups: the acupuncture and control groups. The control group was not given any treatment while the acupuncture group was treated on acupuncture points in the back, lower stomach and lower extremities based on the TCM diagnosis. The treatments were performed two times a week for four weeks.
Results
The researchers observed a substantial lessening of the group treated with acupuncture. About 73% of subjects treated with acupuncture reported no symptoms of UTI during the six-month followup visit. In contrast, the control group only had a 52% improvement of their symptoms. The acupuncture group exhibited more than half (55%) of a decreased risk of incurring another UTI infection in the six months after the last treatment session.
The subjects given acupuncture also had a 51% improvement in the average amount of urine that remained in their bladder during the six-month examination compared to baseline. The untreated subjects showed no major change in residual urine.
Acupuncture for Pre-Menstrual Syndrome
About 90% of women undergoing their menstrual cycle can experience the effects of an approaching period either every month or some months. PMS or pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) is also sometimes called PMT or pre-menstrual tension. PMS can manifest in a number of ways from mood swings, to headaches and painful cramping among many others. Symptoms can range as minimally irritating to very painful and conventional modalities like prescription drugs may not always be as effective as you want them to be. You may want to try electronic acupuncture if you have PMS or PMT and you’re not entirely satisfied with the relief given by conventional drugs.
Electronic Acupuncture
The very old Chinese healing art of acupuncture has been utilized since time immemorial for the resolution of pain and other health problems. Acupuncture is part of a collection of oriental modalities known as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM believes that the body contains several energy pathways called meridians interconnected via connective tissues. If you begin to feel headaches, cramping and other symptoms of PMS, some of these meridians may be blocked impairing your body’s life energy from traveling to the blocked areas. Acupuncture is done by inserting sterile and very small needles into strategic spots in the body called acupuncture points or acupoints for short, to remove the blockages in these meridians.
Acupuncture has been used for many decades now in many Western countries and is considered a great treatment option that a lot of insurance companies are now willing to cover in their policies. The problem is when you have a fear of needles or when repeated sessions of acupuncture are out of the question because you cannot afford them. One solution to this problem is to buy a portable electronic acupuncture device that has been approved by the US FDA. This device follows the same principles of traditional acupuncture healing without using needles at all.
The advantage of having an electronic acupuncture device is that you can use it right in the comfort of your own home and on your own treatment schedule. The electronic acupuncture device has a wand-like component that conveys electromagnetic impulses to certain acupuncture points in the palm, wrist and hand that are associated to specific areas of your body. If, for example, your PMS causes bloating and cramping in you, you may want to place the wand to the acupuncture point associated with the ovaries and uterus to remove the blockage in the meridians causing pain. You can apply the same principle to your mood swings and headaches which are usually caused by hormones.
When you buy an electronic acupuncture device, it usually comes with a very useful acupoint hand map that you can use as reference for treating yourself of your PMS symptoms. The ability to treat yourself can enable you to lessen your dependency on prescription drugs, more so if these medicines have ingredients that can cause nasty side effects. When the pain and symptoms of your PMS causes you so much distress and discomfort, acquiring an electronic acupuncture device may just be the one thing that will help you deal much better with your PMS problem.
Before deciding to purchase an electronic acupuncture device, you need to consult with your doctor regarding your PMS symptoms first. There are certain types of PMS that may need medical intervention. One thing is certain and that is your electronic acupuncture device will not only help you cope much better with your PMS, it will also help you address your other health conditions as well.