1. Comprehensive consultation
2. Acupuncture treatment with its modalities
3. Treatment Evaluation
4. Acupuncture teaching and training
5. Toning up Package

Comprehensive Consultation

Dr.M.S.Aggarwal is an MD with super specialization in acupuncture from Beijing. On arrival of patient for the first time he first evaluates the patient as per western system of medicine by taking into account the patient’s history of disease, symptoms, required examinations, laboratory investigations, imaging and treatment taken till date. Then he evaluates patient as per Chinese system. Evaluation as per Chinese system is of two types – short and extensive. Usually short evaluation is enough but if needed, he undertakes extensive evaluation which involves 16 pages evaluation and consumes one hour.

After these two different evaluations, he concludes the line of action including the usefulness of acupuncture in this patient. If acupuncture appears to be promising, he suggests the modalities of acupuncture needed, the schedule of the sitting including no. of sittings needed, the expected expenditure and the possible outcome.

During the treatment, a close watch is kept on patient’s response to acupuncture and appropriate steps are taken if needed for the benefit of the patient.

Acupuncture treatment with its modalities

• Body acupuncture
• Ear Acupuncture
• Scalp Acupuncture
• Moxibustion
• Cupping
• Three Edge Needling

Body Acupuncture

The acupuncture treatment consists of inserting fine needles, called filiform needles, into the body in patterns designed to influence the flow of qi in one of the subdivisions of the energy circulation network. Usually one to three energy subdivisions are selected to stimulate energy movement, along with a collection of local points to focus the attention of the energy movement. Each subdivision of the circulation has a unique therapeutic point combination necessary for activation. The combinations involve the insertion of at least three needles - the energy moving needles - that are usually in the extremities and usually inserted bilaterally.

Needles are inserted to the depth necessary to elicit the patient's sensation of de qi, or needle grab, a dull ache that radiates from the point. This can be 0.5 cm to 15 cm, depending on the location. The patient is positioned comfortably, usually lying supine or prone. Patient may be needled while sitting on chair.

The acupuncture needles are left in place for 20 to 45 minutes. It is crucial to protect the patient from energy depletion during an acupuncture treatment.

The duration of retaining needles is shorter if :

• The patient is old.
• The patient is fatigued.

The energy-moving needles may be stimulated when an additional activation of the acupuncture system is desired as in :

• When the problem is one of deficiency according to acupuncture principles.
• When the patient has low vitality.

This additional activation is accomplished through:

• Manual manipulation
• Heating the needle with burning herb (moxibustion)
• Electrical stimulating device.

It is common to treat the patient using front, back, and extremity points during the course of a single treatment session. This means that the treatment is typically divided into two sections: the energy movement section using extremity points to activate flow through the meridians, and the section to focus the energy on one or several organs or to influence a pain problem.

Ear Acupuncture

This therapy treats and prevents diseases by stimulating certain points on the auricle using the seed of a Chinese herb placed on small piece of adhesive tape. This has a long history in China. Previously Chinese used needles and used to prick auricle. But now a days, needles are rarely used and the herb seeds are preferred with nearly the same efficacy.

This is very commonly used treatment in the United States. The theory is that since the ear has a rich nerve and blood supply, it would have connections all over the body. For this reason, the ear has many Acupuncture points which correspond to many parts and organs of the body. Auricular (Ear) Acupuncture has been successful in treating problems ranging from obesity to alcoholism, to drug addiction. There are numerous studies either completed, or currently going on which affirms Auricular Acupuncture's effectiveness.

Also, ears are closely related to physiological and pathological changes of the meridians and collaterals along with internal organs. So the points distributed on the ears can be used as stimulation sites to treat diseases of the body.

Selection of points:

1. According to the diseased area
2. According to the theories of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)
3. According to the clinical experience

Precautions:

1. Use only one ear in the beginning. Since both the ears may cause excessive stimulation and result in unrest and awkward sensations including Hypotension in rare patients.
2. Use with caution in pregnant women history of habitual abortion.
3. Use with caution with elderly, weak patients, debilitating disorders.

Advantages:

1. Works wonderfully when combined with body Acupuncture.
2. It can be used alone in patients with fear for needles.
3. Since patient is called fortnightly so it’s a treatment of choice for those who cannot come frequently for body acupuncture.
4. It’s a very good way of maintenance therapy in patients of body acupuncture in between two courses.
5. It is a preferred way of treatment in children below 10 yrs.

Scalp Acupuncture

Scalp Acupuncture is a therapeutic modality in which mainly scalp is needled for sickness. Needling is done in specific area or line of the scalp. Selected area is not acupoint but stimulation lines on the scalp. The manipulation is usually quick and constant twisting method is used without many changes. The area punctured is usually at the side opposite to that with signs or symptoms.

It is indicated in diseases originated in brain e.g. paralysis, numbness, aphonia, dizziness, chorea, parkinson’s disease, lumbago, pain in leg, nocturia, neuralgia etc.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is another popular treatment method, which is the treatment of diseases by applying heat to Acupuncture points. Acupuncture and Moxibustion are considered complimentary forms of treatment, and are commonly used together.

This therapeutic method uses burning of a herb powder over acupoints. The heat acts on acupoint and is conducted through the channel so that the equilibrium of the physical function of the body can be adjusted.

Moxibustion can produce the effect of warming qi and promoting blood circulation, strengthening the body resistance to eliminate pathogenic factors. It is widely applied to prevent or treat diseases.

It can be given by various ways:

1. Moxibustion with moxa cone
2. Moxibustion with moxa stick
3. Moxibustion with warm needle
4. Crude herb moxibustion

Moxibustion acts by:

1. Warming meridian and expelling cold
2. Promoting qi and blood circulation and relieving pain
3. Subdueing swelling and resolving masses.

Indications:

1. Arthralgia due to wind-cold-dampness
2. Diseases due to retention of cold e.g. chronic diarrhea, chronic dysentery, asthma, phlegm retention, flaccidity syndrome etc.
3. Prolapse of internal organs
4. Gynaecological disorders e.g. Dysmenorrhea, Abnormal fetal position, Leukorrhea etc.
5. Infantile diseases e.g. enuresis, diarrhea etc.
6. Carbuncle, Non healing ulcer etc.
7. Common cold, Sinusitis etc.

Cupping

Cupping is another type of treatment by acupuncture. This is a method of stimulating Acupuncture points by applying suction through a metal, wood or glass jar, in which a partial vacuum has been created. This technique produces blood congestion at the site, and therefore stimulates it.

Partial vacuum is created by mechanically sucking the air out or introducing ignited material inside the jar.

Cupping is used for low backache, sprains, soft tissue injuries, and helping relieve fluid from the lungs in chronic bronchitis.

Actions:

This serves to promote circulation of qi and blood, induce an analgesic effect, subdue swelling and expel wind, cold and damp pathogens.

Indications:

1. Arthritis due to wind-cold-dampness
2. Acute sprain
3. Facial paralysis
4. Hemiplegia
5. Common Cold
6. Cough
7. Stomach ache
8. Abdominal Pain
9. Furuncle
10. Carbuncle

Three Edge Needling

Three edged needle is sharp needle since ancient times. This needle is used to prick acupuncture point or superficial blood vessel to obtain minor blood letting. This modality promotes blood circulation, and reduces swelling. It causes resuscitation, reduces heat, cleans and activates meridians and collaterals.

Actions:

1. Clears heat
2. Removes blood stasis
3. Promotes flow of blood and Qi

Uses:

1. Various heat syndromes
2. Spain
3. Acute Tonsillitis
4. Lymphangitis
5. Conjunctivitis

Treatment Evaluation

Schedules and Results

Patient visits are usually scheduled three visits each week. But one or two visits a week are not uncommon, especially during the follow up courses of Acupuncture treatment. If disease recovery is time bound e.g. diseases requiring nerve regeneration or the disease is too acute and needs rapid recovery, daily sittings are recommended.

When a favorable response lasts upto physician’s satisfaction, a long interval lasting 1-3 mths. is given. Chronic degenerative diseases usually require maintenance treatments at 1-month, 6-week, or 2-month intervals. Many diseases never require revisits e.g. facial paralysis. Medical problems of lesser severity and chronicity also often be resolved adequately and do not require maintenance treatments, although chronic medical problems-even when they respond well to acupuncture-typically call for quarterly maintenance treatments.

Treatment Evaluation

During initial treatments, any change, even a transient exacerbation of symptoms, is considered a favorable response. No response to the initial treatment can mean that the therapeutic input was not strong enough, that the problem is deep seated and requires several treatments to influence, that the treatment design is inappropriate, or that the problem is not accessible to acupuncture intervention. Even if every things goes alright, a few patients just do not respond to Acupuncture therapy. The reason behind this phenomenon is not known.

An exacerbation of symptoms after the initial treatment usually means that the treatment decision is accurate, but that the manipulation or the duration of the needles was too extensive. An examination of diagnostic microsystems such as the radial pulse and the tongue gives another means for the practitioner to subjectively evaluate change in the patient's condition from visit to visit, and thereby decide whether a change in treatment is indicated.

With the cumulative effect of the treatments, enduring improvement is the desired goal. Enduring improvement may mean a thorough resolution of the presenting problem, or it may mean enabling the patient to function on a plateau of discomfort that is less incapacitating or requires less medication than at the time of initial presentation.

Ideally, 10-20 visits are scheduled to follow the course of the disorder and its response to acupuncture. Usually, the response can be appreciated by six or eight visits, but an enduring response often requires the full schedule of visits. After the first course of treatments, the problem and its response to acupuncture are reevaluated and the acupuncturist and patient decide whether to continue intensive treatments, maintain treatments, or abandon the acupuncture intervention.

Acupuncture treatments are as individual as the patients and their responses to acupuncture. It is common to stay with an initial treatment approach for at least three or four visits before modifying the approach. It is common for the patient to report changes in general well-being and vitality, or a reduction in medication, before a clear change in the presenting symptoms occurs. if no progress has been made by the sixth visit, it is reasonable to consider including additional modalities to complement the acupuncture. It is best not to abandon a case that shows reasonable hope for response to acupuncture before a full trial of 20 visits has been completed.

Acupuncture teaching and training

Toning Up Package

Toning up package is designed to prevent mild health problems becoming serious diseases. People work hard and don’t have time to care about their health problems. But prevention is always much better than treatment. Little problems may become more serious and ultimately impossible to ward off their existence.

Acupuncture has a very good role in prevention. Spend little time with our doctor, you may save a lot of time and money supposed to be spent in the hospital. Here are some important facts you should know about our this program:

Just as automobiles need tuning up to prevent break down, and also as you teeth need cleaning every six months, people need Tune-Ups to find and correct small problems before they become big ones.

This program can correct a wide range of health problems and early stage of diseases including:

headache, neck, and shoulder stiffness and pain.
allergies, asthma, chronic coughing
upper back, lower back, legs or feet pain
improving memory
helping you look and feel younger
improving sex potential etc.

Scheduling a TONING UP PACKAGE every six months will keep your body in peak health, much as regular dental check-ups result in a healthy set of teeth.

Our doctor will quickly check you up for your problems by filling a detailed questionnaire and watching your tongue. When a problem is detected, acupuncture is tailored accordingly.