Acupuncture and acupressure are therapy techniques founded on traditional Chinese medicine practice. The two therapies believe that symptoms as well as diseases in the body are caused because of blockage or an imbalance in the flow of energy in the body (Newell, 2017). Therefore, the objective of the two techniques is to restore the energy flow to improve health and wellbeing. Before delving into the specifics, it is vital to differentiate the two therapy methods. According to Mandal (2010), acupuncture involves an attempt to restore the flow of qi (energy) by inserting tiny needles at different points into the body along the meridians. The needles are very thin and if they are inserted correctly, they do not cause pain. However, the needles are only left for short periods of time in the body. On the contrary, acupressure does not use needles although it uses the same principles to restore health and wellbeing to the body. An accredited practitioner stimulates particular points by pressing on them either with the hands, elbows, fingers or feet. However, the practitioner ought to ensure that the pressure is gentle and that it is done at a comfortable level of the patient.
Condition
The two therapy techniques as mentioned are widely used to alleviate pain, although according to Di et al. (2014), they can also be used for the treatment of other conditions such as cessation of smoking, especially in addicts. However, this article discusses how the techniques can be used for the treatment of Dysmenorrhea. According to Abaraogu & Tabansi-Ochuogu (2015), Dysmenorrhea is painful menstruation which occurs without pelvic pathology and develops between one and two years after menarche. The condition mainly affects young women although it may persist in women as old as 40 years of age. In regard to the prevalence, Abaraogu & Tabansi-Ochuogu (2015) asserts that the condition may affect as high as 80 percent of women in their teens and early twenties. Owing to such a high prevalence, women do not report it during medical reviews. However, the condition causes absenteeism from school and work and is one of the leading causes of low quality life in women.
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Treating the Condition
Since Abaraogu & Tabansi-Ochuogu (2015) posit that many women do not respond to the primary treatment methods, it is essential to try the two treatment methods. According to Zhang et al. (2014), ear acupuncture and acupressure are the main methods, which are used to alleviate pain. Specific points or acupoints are picked to administer the process. Starting with acupuncture, the practitioner inserts hair-like needles into the acupoints for short periods. On the contrary, acupressure involves the pressing of the specific points on the ears with fingers.
Proposed CAM Method
This article proposes the use of acupressure for different reasons. First is that some patients are not comfortable with the use of needles (Newell, 2017). The use of needles (acupuncture) could cause side effects especially if the practitioner does not observe safety rules. Thirdly, if care is not observed, the needles could induce pain rather than alleviating it. Acupressure, on the contrary, does not have any side effects because the practitioner uses hands or fingers to administer the therapy. Perhaps the most prominent reason in favor of acupressure is that people, who are not necessarily health practitioners can be taught how to administer the process. That means that a patient with Dysmenorrhea does not have to wait till she reaches the hospital to have the therapy conducted. Instead, people who are close to the patient can conduct the therapy. Lastly, the process is conducted at a pressure that the patient feels comfortable unlike in acupuncture where the pressure is not controlled. As a result, acupressure seems more natural than acupuncture.
References
Abaraogu, U. O., & Tabansi-Ochuogu, C. S. (2015). As acupressure decreases pain, acupuncture may improve some aspects of quality of life for women with primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of acupuncture and meridian studies , 8 (5), 220-228.
Di, Y. M., May, B. H., Zhang, A. L., Zhou, I. W., Worsnop, C., & Xue, C. C. (2014). A meta-analysis of ear-acupuncture, ear-acupressure and auriculotherapy for cigarette smoking cessation. Drug & Alcohol Dependence , 142 , 14-23.
Mandal, M. (2010). Acupuncture Theories . News-Medical.net . Retrieved 27 June 2018, from https://www.news-medical.net/health/Acupuncture-Theories.aspx
Newell, L. (2017). Acupressure vs. Acupuncture . LIVESTRONG.COM . Retrieved 27 June 2018, from https://www.livestrong.com/article/125496-acupressure-vs.-acupuncture/
Zhang, C. S., Yang, A. W., Zhang, A. L., May, B. H., & Xue, C. C. (2014). Sham control methods used in ear-acupuncture/ear-acupressure randomized controlled trials: a systematic review. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine , 20 (3), 147-161.
