Acupuncture is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine that has been utilized as a method of alternative medicine and is often put into play for those who have been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. Acupuncture has been shown to work and there are other related procedures that are similar. For example, electro-acupuncture is commonly used for pain relief or the prevention of pain all together. Electro-acupuncture, as the name implies, involves the use of very tiny electrical impulses that are introduced into the body by way of acupuncture needles. The power used is approximately a few micro amperes however the current's frequency can vary anywhere from 5 to 2,000 Hz. General pain relief tends to use lower frequencies while the higher ones are saved for surgery (such as abdominal surgeries). In China it is very common for electro-acupuncture to be used as a method of surgical analgesia. Two other common procedures are sonopuncture and ear acupuncture.
Moxibustion is another related procedure of acupuncture and this is defined as "the "treatment of diseases by applying heat to Acupuncture points." Acupuncture and moxibustion work very well when used together and their benefits to a person's health are tremendous. For this reason the two natural practices are considered to be complementary. The most common reasons that moxibustion is used is to help bring relief for ailments such as bronchitis, bronchial asthma as well as arthritic disorders and a number of different kinds of paralysis.
Cupping is another related procedure. Cupping involves applying stimulation to a variety of acupuncture points and this is done by applying suction by way of a wood, glass or metal jar and in this way a partial vacuum is designed. Cupping allows for a certain amount of blood congestion to appear at the site in question and this allows for deep stimulation. This technique is especially used for soft tissue injuries, low back pain, sprains as well helping to drain fluid from the lungs when a person is suffering from chronic bronchitis.
Acupressure is another common procedure. Basically this is acupuncture minus the needles. The acupuncture points are stimulated with the fingers or a tool that has a "hard ball shaped head." Reflexology (or zone therapy) is another form of acupressure. In this case the feet (and in some cases, the hands) are stimulated in order to help treat diseases or disorders that exist in the internal organs of the body.
It is essential that you do your research on all of these procedures related to TCM if you suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome before you undertake any of these procedures. Weigh the pros and cons of each and seek out the advice of a qualified medical professional before making a final decision. What might be an effective form of treatment for one CFS sufferer might be not so effective for another. For example, if you suffer from a morbid fear of needles then acupuncture is not for you, although the needles are not placed too deep into the layers of skin and not so much to cause injury.
