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The word ACUPUNCTURE
has its very roots in Latin and formed by the
combination of the words; Acus (which means
needle) and Punctura (which means to pierce or
to puncture). Namely, it means puncturing a
needle. In modern sense, it is defined as the
application of needle, laser or ultrasonic
waves, on some specific fields (Acupuncture
points) which can be found in the body dermis.
Brief Historical Account: It
is probably one of the oldest types of
medication science practice. This medication
science, which is established 5000 years before,
is moving ahead by achieving its respected
position day by day. The book which was written
in the Yellow Dynasty period of China entitled,
“Huang Di Nei Jing” (Classic Internal
Diseases Book), exactly 4700 years before our
time, is known as the oldest book in the field
of medication science. The chapters of that book
concerning Acupuncture and Moxa (a treatment
carried out by heating) are said to be written
even before Shen Nung who is regarded as the
father of the Chinese Medication.
According to Shen
Nung, an energy exists in the body and stroll
around every part of the body. In China, this
energy is called Qi (Çi). Qi is accepted as the
emotional, mental and physical activity of the
body. In agreement with that belief in China,
Qi (energy), Yin (negative), Yang (positive) are
under the influence of universal powers and any
decrease, equilibrium distort or cutoff in the
body energy deforms balance the between Yin and
Yang, and this results in the people’s getting
sick. According to the Chinese art of
medication, Qi (energy) is carried out and
strolled by special channels and meridians. The
12 of those meridians are double scattered
around the two sides of the body. Moreover,
there are two extra meridians moving forth and
back of the body. These meridians also have
acupuncture points on them, and they stroll
vertically under the dermis from bottom to top.
Any stoppage, deficiency or equilibrium distort
throughout the meridian would spoil the balance
between Yin and Yang and as a consequence,
sicknesses occur. Here, acupuncture is applied
by puncturing needle on the special acupuncture
points in order to obtain that balance and
implemented by means of particular intervals
(15-45 minutes) with the purpose of overcoming
the illness. Yin and Yang has become the most
important theory (Tao philosophy) in the context
of the acupuncture treatment debates.
Tao Philosophy: YIN
represents; negative, feminine, night, dark,
passive, cold, moisture, electron and base. YANG
stands for; positive, masculine, daytime,
clearness, active, warm, dryness, proton and
acid. If paid attention it can be observed that
these two elements;
1-
Are the opposite poles of each other
(i.e. negative-positive),
2-
Are following each other (i.e. the coming
of the day after the night),
3-
There is a power which evokes them (i.e.
the negative evoking of the positive),
4-
Can comprise and convert each other
inwards,
5-
Give birth and make the generation
continue (every woman [Yin] or man [Yang] has a
mother [Yin] or a father [Yang].
According to that
belief in China, these elements are in a balance
in healthy bodies. While Yin meridians can be
found in the vulnerable parts of the body (in
medial parts of arms and legs), Yang exists in
the external and backward parts of the body and
the organs (leg and arm). It can be seen here
that internal parts (parts which are lesser than
the hairy ones) are unprotected, Yin is
feminine. The forth and back parts of arms and
legs (the hairy parts) are more endurable to
strokes, Yang is masculine.
The oldest treatment
needles were made of hard stones called BIAN in
550 years Before Christ. The earliest Bian
stone, (8-10 cm in length) was found in the city
of Duolun of Mongolia. After the stone needles
of Bian, elephant, camel, fish and oyster bones
were used as needle. With the beginning of the
Bronze Age, there was a transition from stone to
metal needles.
In Ancient Egypt
(before 2500 years of our time), it is written
in Heliographies that in sciatic treatment
Egyptians were cauterizing a particular part of
the ear with acupuncture needle.
After the decline of
the Kingdom in China, in 1911, -afterwards China
has ceased to be treated as an isolated box-
acupuncture has spread rapidly. This expanse has
become even faster especially when Mao Zedong
(President after 1944) has considered this issue
more important. As a consequence, acupuncture
has become an application which is implemented
in an international hospital in 1945 and
beginning from 1948 started to be taught
officially.
Additionally,
beginning from 1970, acupuncture has been
confirmed and supported by WHO (World Health
Organization). In the year of 1998, it has been
declared by NIH (National Institute of Health)
of America that, the active role of acupuncture
in regards to the treatment of many diseases.
In 1972, President
of the United States has visited China for the
first time. Furthermore, in this period, one of
the American journalists’ has been taken into
appendicitis surgery by the acupuncture
anesthesia in the absence of pain (without
applying a general anesthesia) and following
that event, American scientists has become more
interested in acupuncture and started to become
educated.
In Europe, the first
country who was interested in the acupuncture
was France (during the Second World War, 1945).
Acupuncture has been
applied almost in every faculty of medicine and
university commonly for 30 years. In Turkey,
acupuncture has been accepted not as an
alternative treatment method but as a scientific
treatment by the Ministry of Health in 29
May 1991. Today, acupuncture is
implemented in almost in half of the application
hospitals of Faculties of Medicine in Turkey.
Moreover, Ministry has given the final shape of
the acupuncture regulations in 17 September
2002.
5 Element Theory: In Ancient
China, the natural world was based upon 5
elements. These are:
1- Fire,
2- Wood,
3- Earth,
4- Metal,
5- Water.
These elements also have an
internal relationship with each other and
related -as can be seen below- to Organ
meridians.
ZANG FU ORGANS
Zang organ meridians are (-)
and they are full organs. Fu organ meridians are
(+) and they are empty organs.
Zang Organs: Spleen, Liver,
Heart, Pericardium, Pancreas and Kidney.
Fu organs: Large intestine,
Small intestine, Bladder, Stomach, Gall Bladder
and triple energizer.
|
LIVER |
Starts from foot |
WOOD |
|
|
GALL BLADDER |
“ |
“ |
|
|
HEART |
Starts from hand |
FIRE |
|
|
SMALL INTESTINE |
“ |
“ |
|
|
SPLEEN |
Starts from foot |
EARTH |
|
|
STOMACH |
“ |
“ |
|
LUNG |
Starts from hand |
METAL |
|
LARGE INTESTINE |
“ |
“ |
|
KIDNEY |
Starts from foot |
WATER |
|
BLADDER |
“ |
“ |
|
PERICARDIUM |
Starts from hand |
FIRE |
|
TRIPLE ENERGIZER |
“ |
“ |
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