Acupuncture in Asian Culture, Essay Example

Acupuncture is one of the ancient medical treatments used by the Chinese to relieve pain and treat different disorders to improve general health. The treatment method was developed in China before 2500 BCE and has become popular in other parts, including the United States. The treatment method is different from one provider to another, but mostly the treatment takes between 15 minutes to 1 hour to be administered. During treatment, the acupuncture provider must insert small, solid, and very thin metallic needles into the patient’s body. The needles used are meant to target the problem.

However, the treatment process can be painful if done in the right manner, it is painless, but the patient will feel slight pressure. According to Luth, Miller, and Chan (2021), specific acupuncture can be used to electrify the needs to help handle muscle pain. However, any interference that may occur to the energy flow can easily cause disease. It should be noted that the treatment method is effective for certain conditions but cannot be used by everyone. Therefore, it is vital to discuss this with the provider first.

Studies show that about 25 percent of Chinese Americans have used acupuncture at some point (Huang, 2020). It is believed that China is the world’s most populated country, with approximately 1.4 billion people. Acupuncture is highly integrated into China’s healthcare system and has made good progress in the country healthcare systems. Most of the Chinese who migrated to America have continued with the Asian culture while also influencing the Americans. Because of that, several Chinese Americans have found themselves adapting to the treatment method. According to Fan et al. (2020), America has a high number of acupuncture specialists as part of the country’s Medicine Doctors (CMDs). In the recent past, there has been an increase in acupuncture specialists in America, clearly showing how the country responds to the need for practitioners in the medical sector.

From an economical aspect, it is essential to note that acupuncture is considered an alternative method of treatment and can be learned quickly since it does not require complex machinery. On the other hand, it is inexpensive and can be accessed by several people (Fan et al., 2020). Acupuncture can potentially be self-administered hence making it economical. Furthermore, acupuncture can be used by nursing groups, doctors, and laypeople intending to demythologize medicine. Besides, treatment by acupuncture can overlap and hence can be used to treat unknown pain (Fan et al., 2020). Most healthcare systems permit the use of acupuncture without any mandatory treatment. However, medical technology is just one small part of the country’s total medical system.

From the political angle, it is essential to note that America has established legal control for acupuncture treatment and advocates for its use in relieving pain. Through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), America has made tremendous achievements in ensuring that the use of acupuncture is allowed. CMS is known for contributing to America’s health status as laws and policies have been implemented by the government to enhance the innovation of CMS. In China, the central government and regulatory department have also been involved in developing policies that promote the development of TCM. As highlighted by Wang et al. (2021), the main aim of promoting TCM is to modernize, standardize, and inform medical practitioners on precise treatments. TCM laws have also been improved to help protect individuals using acupuncture. Through the revolution of TCM, the instructions were successfully incorporated into the country’s university medical curricula under the umbrella “Three Roads” policy, which gave room for the development of biomedicine and a synthesis. In addition, acupuncture is accepted by the general public and healthcare systems. Several people have tried the treatment method and have found it compelling (Wang et al., 2021).

References

Fan, A. Y., He, D., Gu, S., Tian, H., Ouyang, H., Wei, H., … & Zhao, X. (2020). Estimated number of acupuncture practitioners in mainland China in 2018: multiperspective. Medical Acupuncture, 32(5), 310-319.

Huang, W. L. (2020). Auricular Acupuncture and Chinese Dietary Counseling in The Treatment of Insomnia. Archives of Neurology and Neuro Disorders, 3(1), 01-11.

Luth, D. W., Miller, A. B., & Chan, C. (2021). Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation to Decrease Opiate Utilization in Surgical Patients: An Evidence-Based Education Module.

Wang, W. Y., Zhou, H., Wang, Y. F., Sang, B. S., & Liu, L. (2021). Current policies and measures on the development of traditional Chinese medicine in China. Pharmacological Research, 163, 105187.