The Perfect Health Clinic

What is Acupressure?

Acupressure is an alternative medicine technique similar in principle to acupuncture. It is based on the concept of life energy which flows through "meridians" in the body. In treatment, physical pressure is applied to acupuncture points with the aim of clearing blockages in these meridians. Pressure may be applied by hand, by elbow, or with various devices.

Some medical studies have suggested that acupressure may be effective at helping manage nausea and vomiting, for helping low back pain, tension headaches, stomach ache, among other things, although such studies have been found to have a high likelihood of bias. Like many alternative medicines, it may benefit from a placebo effect.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine and a key component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in which thin needles are inserted into the body. Acupuncture is a pseudoscience because the theories and practices of TCM are not based on scientific knowledge, and it has been characterized as quackery. There is a range of acupuncture variants which originated in different philosophies,and techniques vary depending on the country in which it is performed. It is most often used to attempt pain relief,though acupuncturists say that it can also be used for a wide range of other conditions. Acupuncture is generally used only in combination with other forms of treatment.

The conclusions of numerous trials and systematic reviews of acupuncture are inconsistent, which suggests that it is not effective.An overview of Cochrane reviews found that acupuncture is not effective for a wide range of conditions. A systematic review conducted by medical scientists at the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth found little evidence of acupuncture's effectiveness in treating pain. Overall, the evidence suggests that short-term treatment with acupuncture does not produce long-term benefits. Some research results suggest that acupuncture can alleviate some forms of pain, though the majority of research suggests that acupuncture's apparent effects are not caused by the treatment itself. A systematic review concluded that the analgesic effect of acupuncture seemed to lack clinical relevance and could not be clearly distinguished from bias. One meta-analysis found that acupuncture for chronic low back pain was cost-effective as an adjunct to standard care, while a separate systematic review found insufficient evidence for the cost-effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of chronic low back pain.

Acupuncture is generally safe when done by appropriately trained practitioners using clean needle technique and single-use needles. When properly delivered, it has a low rate of mostly minor adverse effects. Accidents and infections do occur, though, and are associated with neglect on the part of the practitioner, particularly in the application of sterile techniques. A review conducted in 2013 stated that reports of infection transmission increased significantly in the preceding decade. The most frequently reported adverse events were pneumothorax and infections. Since serious adverse events continue to be reported, it is recommended that acupuncturists be trained sufficiently to reduce the risk.

Scientific investigation has not found any histological or physiological evidence for traditional Chinese concepts such as qi, meridians, and acupuncture points,[n 1] and many modern practitioners no longer support the existence of life force energy (qi) or meridians, which was a major part of early belief systems. Acupuncture is believed to have originated around 100 BC in China, around the time The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (Huangdi Neijing) was published,though some experts suggest it could have been practiced earlier. Over time, conflicting claims and belief systems emerged about the effect of lunar, celestial and earthly cycles, yin and yang energies, and a body's "rhythm" on the effectiveness of treatment. Acupuncture fluctuated in popularity in China due to changes in the country's political leadership and the preferential use of rationalism or Western medicine. Acupuncture spread first to Korea in the 6th century AD, then to Japan through medical missionaries, and then to Europe, beginning with France. In the 20th century, as it spread to the United States and Western countries, spiritual elements of acupuncture that conflicted with Western beliefs were sometimes abandoned in favor of simply tapping needles into acupuncture points.

What is Su-jok?

Ayurvedic acupressure (also known as Marma therapy) is a particular kind of massage or an alternative medical treatment, which integrates the knowledge of ancient Ayurveda and the principles of acupressure, allegedly to completely heal and cure physical, mental, emotional and spiritual illnesses.

According to Charaka Samhitā, an early text on Ayurveda, the cosmos and its correspondence – the human body, are composed of both physical (Visible) and metaphysical (Invisible) forces.

Ayurvedic acupressure talks about 10 elements – 5 physical and 5 metaphysical.

• 5 elements(not exactly elements but like forms of matter exists in our body and environment) or Panch Tatva: – Electricity or flow of charges (not space as it does not exist in our body and environment), Air, Fire, Water and Earth.
• 5 metaphysical elements: – Time, Direction, Mind, Soul and Tam (Origin).

In Ayurveda the pressure points or the meridians are called Marma points. These are considered as energy points, just as Chinese refer them as pressure points, and they help in stimulating not only circulation, but also improve mental and emotional outlook. The Marma points are located throughout the body.

Treatment in Ayurvedic Acupressure can be easily done without needles by:

• Applying pressure with finger
• Seeds
• Magnets
• Colours

The Acupressure shodh prashikshan evam upchar blakpipol sukh sansthan Allahabad is a non government organization working for the last 20 years in popularizing the Ayurvedic Acupressure.

There are many branches of acupressure/acupuncture as we know it today. They are

• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
• Ayurvedic Acupressure
• Sujok
• Reflexology

These are just some of the forms. The scope and theories of each are a bit different.

What is Chiropractie?

Chiropractic is a pseudoscientific complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) that is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially the spine.Chiropractors have proposed, especially those in the field's early history, that such disorders affect general health via the nervous system. The main chiropractic treatment technique involves manual therapy, especially manipulation of the spine, other joints, and soft tissues, but may also include exercises and health and lifestyle counseling. Chiropractors are not physicians or medical doctors.

Systematic reviews of controlled clinical studies of treatments used by chiropractors have not found evidence that chiropractic manipulation is effective, with the possible exception of treatment for back pain. A critical evaluation found that collectively, spinal manipulation was ineffective at treating any condition. Spinal manipulation may be cost-effective for sub-acute or chronic low back pain but the results for acute low back pain were insufficient. The efficacy and cost-effectiveness of maintenance chiropractic care are unknown. There is not sufficient data to establish the safety of chiropractic manipulations. It is frequently associated with mild to moderate adverse effects, with serious or fatal complications in rare cases. There is controversy regarding the degree of risk of vertebral artery dissection, which can lead to stroke and death, from cervical manipulation. Several deaths have been associated with this technique and it has been suggested that the relationship is causative, a claim which is disputed by many chiropractors.

Chiropractic is well established in the United States, Canada, and Australia. It overlaps with other manual-therapy professions such as osteopathy and physical therapy. Most who seek chiropractic care do so for low back pain. Back and neck pain are considered the specialties of chiropractic, but many chiropractors treat ailments other than musculoskeletal issues. Many chiropractors describe themselves as primary care providers, but the chiropractic clinical training does not support the requirements to be considered primary care providers. Chiropractic has two main groups: "straights", now the minority, emphasize vitalism, "innate intelligence", and consider vertebral subluxations to be the cause of all disease; "mixers", the majority, are more open to mainstream views and conventional medical techniques, such as exercise, massage, and ice therapy.

D. D. Palmer founded chiropractic in the 1890s, after saying he received it from "the other world"; Palmer maintained that the tenets of chiropractic were passed along to him by a doctor who had died 50 years previously. His son B. J. Palmer helped to expand Chiropractic in the early 20th century. Throughout its history, chiropractic has been controversial. Its foundation is at odds with mainstream medicine, and has been sustained by pseudoscientific ideas such as subluxation and innate intelligence. Despite the overwhelming evidence that vaccination is an effective public health intervention, among chiropractors there are significant disagreements over the subject, which has led to negative impacts on both public vaccination and mainstream acceptance of chiropractic. The American Medical Association called chiropractic an "unscientific cult" in 1966 and boycotted it until losing an antitrust case in 1987. Chiropractic has had a strong political base and sustained demand for services; in recent decades, it has gained more legitimacy and greater acceptance among conventional physicians and health plans in the United States.