Acupuncture as a Treatment for Insomnia

A lot of people swear by so called “alternative medicine.” In reality, anything that helps you to be heathier should be considered medicine and considered a viable option whether or not the mainstream accepts it. When I say “medicine” I really should be more specific and call it Western Medicine. We Westerners like our scientific method and independent research studies a lot more than our Eastern counterparts. There’s nothing wrong with modern science or the scientific method; but the Chinese, and other Eastern cultures, were curing diseases with some success thousands of years before Western Medicine came along.

What is Acupuncture?

One of the more commonly found treatments from Asia is the practice of acupuncture. If you have ever seen Acupuncture up close, it may have resembled medieval torture more than it did medicine. Let me assure you, it isn’t nearly as bad as it looks.

Acupuncture is a form of Oriental Medical treatment where needles are inserted into meridians on the body. The principle of acupuncture treatment is to adjust the flow of Qi, or energy, in these acupuncture meridians which can control aspects of our body’s functioning. A trained acupuncturist knows exactly where to place these tiny needles around the body to relieve whatever the ailment might be.

What is Insomnia?

The Center For Disease Control (CDC) defines insomnia as “an inability to initiate or maintain sleep.” If you have difficulty sleeping or can’t seem to stay asleep, you may have either Primary or Secondary Insomnia. Primary insomnia is when the inability to sleep is the actual problem, while Secondary Insomnia is when the lack of sleep is a symptom of another issue. Secondary Insomnia can either be a symptom of a medical or psychological condition.

If you are unsure if you are suffering from a legitimate case of insomnia there are some tell-tale signs to watch out for. The most obvious is an inability to fall asleep at night or not being unable to stay asleep for an extended period of time. This can include waking up too early or not feeling rested when you do wake up. Other symptoms include: daytime fatigue or sleepiness, irritability, depression, anxiety, difficulty paying attention or focusing on tasks, increased errors or accidents, tension headaches and gastrointestinal symptoms.

If you simply like to stay up late you probably don’t have insomnia and it might not be a good idea to start taking medication or even sticking needles in your back. I have a friend that doesn’t fall asleep until around 5 a.m. then proceeds to sleep all day and claims he has insomnia. I don’t think the CDC would agree with him and he’d likely be better off looking for tips to get a good night’s rest rather than trying to cure insomnia.

Why Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a holistic medicine that doesn’t have the risk of side effects a pharmaceutical drug would. There is little risk of dependence, unless you really like being stuck by tiny needles, in which case there are probably worse habits to have. Acupuncture seeks to really treat the root of a problem instead of just masking the symptoms. That being said, it’s important to know if you have Primary or Secondary Amnesia since that will affect the Acupuncture points.

Insomnia Points

If you are familiar to the Acupuncture process, you know that the specific points chosen by the acupuncturist will depend on your personal signs and condition; but when insomnia is a problem the two points most often used are heart 7 and ear shen men. Heart 7 is used to help calm the mind and relax the body. Ear shen men is a point in the ear that is used to calm the mind and spirit.

Warning

I don’t want to disparage an ancient form of Oriental medicine and I can’t argue with those who have used it over the centuries, but sometimes you need good “new” fashioned Western Medicine to treat a disease. Insomnia is often the result of serious medical conditions and may need to be treated with medication or even surgery. Don’t jump to any conclusions or completely rule out more holistic approaches to medicine, just be careful with your health and seek the best treatment no matter where it’s found.