Posted by Anne Hermann on Tue, Mar 13, 2012 @ 09:13 AM
By Terry Graham, D.O.M., A.P., L.M.T
Acupuncture has long been recognized as an effective means to prevent and treat a wide range of diseases and health concerns. An adjunct technique developed over the past sixty years sought to combine the principles of traditional acupuncture and Oriental medicine with modern injection therapies.
This technique was first called Biopuncture in Europe, and in the United States is recognized by the term Acupuncture Point Injection Therapy (APIT). APIT is thus defined as: the injection at an acupuncture point of a small amount of one or more sterile biological substances in order to gain the dual benefits of stimulation of the acupuncture points with the pharmacological effect of the selected substance. Some of sterile substances successfully used for APIT might include: normal saline, nutritional substances – such as vitamin B1, B6, or B12, homeopathic solutions, and Chinese herbal extracts. Acupoint Injection Therapy employs very gentle injection techniques with very fine gauge needles similar to those used for insulin injections. In general the insertion is shallow – within the dermal layers of the skin.
A representative list of diseases that have often responded successfully to treatment with acupuncture combined with point injection therapy include:
- Chronic pain, and inflammatory conditions, including arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and others
- Autoimmune disorders such as fibromyalgia and, chronic fatigue syndrome
- Chronic and latent viral disease – shingles, hepatitis
- Sports injuries, including “tennis elbow”, “golfer’s elbow”, back pain
- Cosmetic acupuncture – facial rejuvenation, wrinkle reduction, tissue toning, cellulite reduction
Acupuncture point injection therapy has the potential to broaden the scope of any condition responsive to acupuncture, often providing a more rapid initial response with longer lasting effects as the medication is directed to the target area through the carefully selected acupuncture points.
Terry Graham has a background in nursing and has been a licensed and Board Certified Acupuncture Physician since 2008. To book your appointment in our convenient locations in Tampa, St. Petersburg/Clearwater or St. Pete Beach, call (813) 902-9559.
This post was written by Anne Hermann. Follow Anne Hermann on Google, Facebook, Twitter & Linkedin.
