Electro-Acupuncture
Another use of technology that has its roots in Asia is the adaptation of modern technology to the ancient art of acupuncture. Electro-acupuncture is the application of a pulsating electrical current to acupuncture needles as a means of stimulating the acupoints. The acupoints connect the individual’s body to the universal, cosmic energy that connects us all. The stimulation of these points has been an ancient healing tradition that reaches back through the millennia. In 1934, according to Subhuti Dharmananda, the Director of the Institute for Traditional Medicine in Portland, Oregon, Chinese healers added electronic stimulus to the process as an extension of hand manipulation of the acupuncture needles. The process is described, though only briefly, in most comprehensive texts of acupuncture.
The procedure for electro-acupuncture is to insert the acupuncture needle as would normally be done, attain the qi reaction by hand manipulation, and then attach an electrode to the needle to provide continued stimulation. The idea was to help ensure that the practitioner, who may otherwise pause due to fatigue, gives the patient the amount of stimulation needed. It was also thought that Electro-acupuncture could produce a stronger stimulation without causing tissue damage associated with the twirling and thrusting of a needle. The stronger stimulus provided by the electronic current is better for treating more difficult cases of paralysis. Positive results have also been seen from treating patients with the chronic pain and spasms associated with neurological diseases.
The device commonly used in China is the G6805, or G6805-2, electric stimulator. The application of modern day electronic technology to an ancient healing art was developed to reduce total treatment time by providing a specific continued stimulus. The assumption was that it would be easier to control the frequency of the stimulus and the amount of stimulus than with hand manipulation of the needles. An added benefit was that it would free the practitioner to attend to other patients. However, the subsequent inattention to the patient receiving the electro-acupuncture limits the opportunities to respond to changes that are taking place during treatment. In addition, the literature cautions against using the technique on patients with serious cardiac diseases. It is generally recommended to avoid placing electrodes near the heart, as the heart can respond adversely to electrical impulses.