Although acupuncture has become increasingly common in the United States as an alternative and supplementary treatment with regular ailments like anxiety, stress, and pain, researchers and physicians are also beginning to recognize the potential of this therapy in the relief of more severe illnesses. In particular, those who suffer from mesothelioma have discovered this treatment may provide welcome relief from the pain of this condition. This treatment originated with the ancient Chinese and it is gaining more respect today from western health practitioners in the U.S. This acceptance has led to a more mainstream recognition of the merit acupuncture may have for treating patients. As a result, health insurance providers have increasingly begun to provide coverage for this medicinal treatment.

History of Acupuncture

Although in the United States acupuncture remains a relatively recent phenomenon, its regular use actually dates back thousands of years elsewhere. There are a number of ancient artifacts that suggest the procedure was used in locations such as China and Mongolia, where it might have been developed by ancient soldiers. However, there is still a considerable amount of uncertainty regarding these theories involving the discovery of acupuncture, including those that hold this therapy was developed after observing the effects of arrow wounds.

Modern Uses of Acupuncture

The use of acupuncture as a successive alternative to traditional medical treatments became more popular and spread through different parts of Asia until it ended up in regions that are today known as Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. However, it was not until the 1970s that acupuncture became a recognized phenomenon in the United States. It was at this time that tourists who had traveled to China were able to share stories of patients in the east who had undergone surgery without any other form of anesthesia beyond acupuncture. Due to excitement and curiosity from these first stories, the practice of acupuncture was soon established within the medical community of the United States. Today, the use of acupuncture to ameliorate the pain of various disorders continues to grow throughout the country.

How Acupuncture Works

Although the casual observer may find acupuncture to be perplexing at first, the procedure is actually a precise medical therapy that embraces a whole-body approach to treat ailments, rather than focusing on specific locations and symptoms. During this therapy, fine needles are inserted into specific points of the body. The ancient Chinese believed that the use of needles in specific points restored the body's balance across its four parts: the Yin, the Yang, the Qi, and the blood.

Mesothelioma Treatment and Acupuncture

Recently, one of the more common alternative treatments for those who suffer from cancers related to asbestos, such as mesothelioma, is acupuncture. Like other patients who may benefit from this therapy, many of those who suffer from mesothelioma, a cancer resulting from exposure to asbestos, indicate they feel great relief through acupuncture when it is used to treat their symptoms. Even many individuals who suffer from asbestosis, an inflammation resulting from trapped asbestos fibers in the lungs, reported relief from pain and breathing difficulties after undergoing acupuncture therapy.

Reference:

American Cancer Society