Acupuncture Department

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is completely a scientific treatment method applied by dipping needles into specific points of the body for the purpose of curing various illnesses.  Acupuncture has been used notably in China and other Far Eastern countries in order to cure diseases for a period of over 5,000 years. Today it is a complementary medicine method which is widely used in many western countries such as Germany, Austria, France and the USA. The main philosophy of such treatment is based on the unity, equilibrium and harmony between the energy flows that exist everywhere in the whole universe whether living or non-living. Acupuncture in this sense is a balance therapy.

The World Health Organization acknowledged acupuncture treatment as a scientific method in 1979 and publicized a list of medical conditions wherein it is effective. In our country, "the Regulations on Acupuncture" was issued in 1991 and the conditions of application of such treatment and the qualifications of the practitioners were prescribed. Acupuncture might be applied by medical doctors who completed the 500 hours course opened with the approval of the Ministry of Health and succeeded in the examination and thereby granted the certificate accredited by the Ministry of Health.  

The stimulation of acupuncture points is achieved by needles, laser, heat, electric current and pressure. The most widely used from among such is the needle. In our day, stainless steel needles are used the most. After the point to be needled is disinfected appropriately, sterilized and disposable needles must be used absolutely.  The application is preferably performed while the patient is lying his/her back or face down. In order to achieve the desired effect in acupuncture treatment, the duration of the session should be 20-40 minutes. Total number and frequency of sessions vary depending on the severity of the patient's complaints and the characteristic of the medical condition to be treated. For instance, the treatment is applied every other day initially in a newly started severe back pain, and as the severity of the pain is reduced the period between the sessions is extended and the patient may be monitored through weekly sessions. The average number of sessions ranges from 8 to 12 in pain syndromes.

Acupuncture is the most widely acknowledged method among complementary medicine practices recommended by physicians. Nowadays, increas in endorphin, enkephalin and serotonin detected in the blood and brain tissues through acupuncture application, and its analgesic (pain relief effect) being in the first place, and sedative (soothing) effects, healing in motor functions and regulatory effects in the immune system have been proven in many scientific studies. 

Acupuncture is a very effective treatment in reducing the need for drug use associated with painful syndromes of the musculoskeletal system. Through such feature it provides a substantial advantage preventing especially multiple drug use and unnecessary drug use in elderly patient group having insufficiency of internal organ functions and accompanying gastrointestinal problems.  Furthermore acupuncture in geriatric patients increases the success of common rehabilitation programs in the treatment of movement disorders and gait disturbances arising due to various diseases.  It reduces the cost of treatment by shortening the treatment period and length of stay in the hospital.

In recent years acupuncture has been increasingly used as a complementary medicine method with its varied effects in patients with cancer treatment. There are a number of scientific studies demonstrating the benefits of acupuncture in the treatment of cancer-related fatigue and pain, chemotherapy-induced nausea, vomiting and depressive mood.

Acupuncture is effective in weight control by affecting appetite and metabolism, accelerating fat breakdown and, most importantly, reducing stress levels. The success of acupuncture and diet therapy increases through personalized exercise applications. Changing erroneous eating habits that lead to obesity and stressful and sedentary lifestyle is essential for a permanent solution to this problem.

Acupuncture can be used as a complementary method in the treatment of the following diseases:

• Acute and chronic pain control
• Allergic sinusitis, rhinitis
• Arthralgia (joint aches)
• Neck, back, waist and tail neck pain
• Localized rheumatic diseases such as bursitis, tendinitis and plantar fasciitis
• Fibromyalgia and myofascial syndrome (soft-tissue rheumatism)
• Nausea vomiting
• Hyperacidity in the stomach
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Constipation and diarrhea
• Menstrual pain, irregularities
• Headache (migraine, tension-type and neck-induced headaches)
• Vertigo (dizziness), Meniere's syndrome, tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
• Neuralgia (trigeminal, postherpetic pain, facial)
• Hemiplegia rehabilitation after stroke
• Jaw joint diseases, bruxism (tooth tightening)
• Enuresis nocturna (bed wetting)
• Stress, depression, sleep disorders, psychosomatic disorders, anxiety and panic disorders, stuttering, tics
• Chronic fatigue
• Concentration deficiencies
• Excessive sweating
• Restless leg syndrome, burns in hands and feet
• Sexual dysfunctions, vaginismus
• Infertility (barrenness)
• Allergic skin rashes
• Weight control
• Dependencies (smoking)

Especially in painful syndromes of musculoskeletal system, acupuncture therapy when necessary, can be combined with other physical medical methods such as medical massage, electrotherapy and exercise . The addition personalized exercise program to treatment by the specialist physician contributes to the extension of time in pain soothing provided and function increases in all of such patients.  

• Acupuncture is an extremely safe treatment method when patient selection is done accurately and when it is applied by well-trained practitioners. However, it is not applied to those with excessive needle phobia and clotting disorders, in cases requiring emergency surgery, to arms or legs with lymphedema, tumors and open injuries. Prior to the treatment, the patient should be evaluated in line with the scientific norms of modern medicine, and the definite diagnosis should be determined by the necessary examinations and consultations.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is completely a scientific treatment method applied by dipping needles into specific points of the body for the purpose of curing various illnesses. Acupuncture has been used notably in China and other Far Eastern countries in order to cure diseases for a period of over 5,000 years. Today it is a complementary medicine method which is widely used in many western countries such as Germany, Austria, France and the USA. The main philosophy of such treatment is based on the unity, equilibrium and harmony between the energy flows that exist everywhere in the whole universe whether living or non-living. Acupuncture in this sense is a balance therapy.

The World Health Organization acknowledged acupuncture treatment as a scientific method in 1979 and publicized a list of medical conditions wherein it is effective. In our country, "the Regulations on Acupuncture" was issued in 1991 and the conditions of application of such treatment and the qualifications of the practitioners were prescribed. Acupuncture might be applied by medical doctors who completed the 500 hours course opened with the approval of the Ministry of Health and succeeded in the examination and thereby granted the certificate accredited by the Ministry of Health.

Ozone Therapy

A Latin word, “ozone” means "smelling". As we know it, ozone is a gas which is formed by conversion of O2 to O3 by UVB rays in the upper layers of atmosphere. It is a heavy gas and has a unique smell. Ozone was first defined in late 1800s by Christian Friedrich Schönbein, a German Chemist. Ozone is used for surface cleaning, water cleaning, sanitation and kills viruses and bacteria. Ozone cannot be taken by inhalation because it is toxic if inhaled. It can only be applied as a cream which is produced with olive oil. If mixed with other oils, it flames up. Or it may directly be injected into a muscle or a joint. There is also another method called “major hemotherapy". In this method, the patient's blood is transferred to a vacuum bottle where it is enriched with ozone and administered back to the patient. Also, there are treatment methods called "bag therapy" to treat foot lesions called "diabetic foot” and extremity lesions, which are applied by keeping the extremity in a special ozone-oxygen mixture.