MEDICAL TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES

Different approaches are endorsed by some, and condemned by others. The question is: How do you get honest and true information?  There is a middle ground to all this and we must try to seek it. 

MEDICAL TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES

Millions of educated Americans are seeking alternative medical treatment. They are supplements or are abandoning prescribed medical treatments. Despite medicine's great progress, many question remain unsolved in patient health care.

 We are living longer because of advances, in antibiotics, and Western Medicine surgery, but most of us find we also are suffering longer now from degenerative diseases that cripple us.

We have not stopped arteries from clotting, and rarely have we prevented or cured cancer, arthritis, Parkinsonism, Alzheimer’s, Aids emphysema, cataracts, kidney and liver failure and even the common migraine headache.

Doctors are reluctant to accept new approaches.

 Many encourage patients to abandon treatments with previous good track records. Most patients want to prevent diseases before they lead us to chronic disabilities.

Society has narrowed the gap between the West and the East, as we appreciate new findings in the brain function and the immune system. There is now a better understanding of alternative medicine and rational approaches are now being taken.

Alternative medicine is here to stay. In chronic pain treatment, many treatments are available as hypnosis, meditation, prayer, special diets, and especially acupuncture. Teas are mentioned for insomnia as well as sleeping pills. Discussions about chelation, ginseng ginkgo biloba, and chondroitin, are taking place.

Even the NIH (the caretaker of western medicine) is spending 23 million dollars a year in research work on such alternative treatments. Insurance companies are now reimbursing policyholders for wellness plans and alternative medicines, but not for acupuncture.

We must be flexible on choosing what is good and what is bad. Doctors say they are holistic. So was the country doctor 50 years ago. The mind and body go together. Prevention of disease is important. You the patient must insist on it. Today’s specialists that treat only one organ, must consider the whole patient. 

We also must do our part in considering how we shall live and how the style of our living effects on our bodies. We must see the dangers of smoking and drinking and the effects of moods, stresses, foods we eat, and the lack of exercising on our bodies.

Different approaches are endorsed by some, and condemned by others. The question is: How do you get honest and true information?

There is a middle ground to all this and we must try to seek it. We must sift out the garbage and find answers to our questions on disease treatments. Journals of western medicine never allow reports stating the results of alternative therapies. 

Acupuncture has passed centuries of human experiences, yet claims are made that it is not scientifically tested according to western protocol. Yet western medicine is always changing its mind. Treatments of 10 years ago are now abandoned because they were found harmful.

Traditional doctors often make statements that are not based on sound hard evidence. These statements are based on belief instead of observed biochemical reactions in the body. How do you measure Qi energy? Clinical observations prove that acupuncture treatments work and have been used for thousands of years.

Suppose you have local back pain and have treatment with acupuncture, Chinese herbs, Vitamin E, antibiotics, massage, steroid injections and even prayer. When your back pain is gone, what worked? Try to explain the mechanism of how these modalities worked.

Oriental medicine is not scientific as it is practiced. It is not dependant on medical science. Research is needed to validate the effectiveness and mechanism of acupuncture and herbal medicine.

Oriental medicine is extremely old and time tested. There are specific energetic patterns to guide its practice. Only pain control has been scientifically proven by western medicine. The Oriental treatments for disease and injury are radically different from western medicine. It works by manipulating and enhancing Qi and blood. People can't wait for scientific validation by blind studies.

There are three problems acupuncture must confront:

1.          It is a non-scientific language.

 Originally, western medicine was a science of anatomy.

 Now it is a science of biochemical and cellular physiology. Oriental medicine has an energetic framework and does not fit the matrix of western medical thinking. 

Oriental medicine uses the energetic force in the body to control the biochemical and cellular activity. These energetic forces dictate this biochemical activity. With acupuncture biochemical changes occur by yin, yang and Qi, and are not explained by western biochemical physiology terms.

This traditional language allows us to have effective therapy. Pain control with acupuncture has been proven by Dr. Pomerantz , showing the neurovascular effect and also the release of endorphins.

 

2.          There is a lack of double blind placebo studies for validation.

Acupuncture brings the yin and yang chemicals into energetic balance. By knowing the cause and prevention, we can correct a symptom. There is no interest in proving the efficacy of acupuncture when results can cut on the use of drug products and medications. Is it ethical to deny a sick patient some form of treatment? It took the NIH twenty-five years to accept acupuncture. 

How many surgical procedures have double blind placebo studies? Aspirin has been used for 100 years and only recently has the physiologic mechanism been explained.

3.          There is a lack of modern scientific explanation of how acupuncture works.

The west uses a language of biochemical physiology and not of energetics. As technology improves, acupuncture will be validated on its own terms. As new scientific instruments are developed, they will record and describe Qi, the difference between yin and yang energy.

It will become obvious how Qi is disseminated and how the rotation of qi occurs through the channels with acupuncture. stimulation . These studies are now being done in Japan, Germany, Russia, and China.

Observing the release of endorphins with acupuncture does not describe the methods of acupuncture actions but only its consequences. Yet a hundred chemical reactions can occur with acupuncture stimulation.

 Because they are not observed does not mean they have not occurred. Because energetic pathways of qi, yin and yang have not been observed scientifically, does not mean they do not exist.

Western medicine has a different orientation in the treatment of injury and illness. It seeks to control uncomfortable and dangerous symptoms by manipulation of biochemical mechanisms. It focuses narrowly on disease manifestations.

 There is a lack of a unified view of heath and vitality. Western medicine only excels in crisis management of the injured. 

Eastern medicine looks at what a healthy body should be.

 It describes the free circulation of Qi and blood through defined channels and organic function energetically. It uses the natural mechanisms of regeneration and recuperation without side effects. It accelerates the healing process of non-crisis illness.

You, the informed public should have access to both kinds of treatment. And that is what American acupuncture aims to do. One therapy should compliment another and they should be used interchangeably by physicians, to achieve the optimum health for you the patient.

Statistical analysis is hard to show because the body heals itself. Other therapies can also enhance healing. The state of the patient’s mental, emotional, and spiritual status are very important to healing.

When you are suffering from a debilitating and incurable disease, you look for the most improbable promise. You must always hope. With nothing to lose you become bait for any therapy that promises a cure.

 Conventional and alternative therapies can work in controlled settings to provide the best of both worlds. Alternative therapy must complement western treatments.

You the patient must assume responsibility for your own survival and health. Never lose hope. I see miracles happen every day with acupuncture. Above all, explore alternatives including those outside of the expertise of your doctor.

The object is to live longer and also enjoy the best quality of life. Perhaps your doctor is opposed and does not listen to your problems. If that is so, perhaps it is time to find another doctor who understands you. 

Visit www.drneedles.com for more commentaries on controversial medical subjects.

As a medical physician for over 51 years, I strive to give you the best medical information on controversial medical subjects, and help your read betwwen the lines. You must come to your own conclusions. I have no ties to any organization, pharmaceutical, or lobby group. As an practicing medical acupuncturist since 1982, I find western medicine and medical acupuncture are very complimentary. This results in astounding healing in pain management, addictions to cigarettes and food, and a host of other maladies. Visit drneedles is blogging" at the end of each blog for a complete alphabetical list of all my blogs.  Visit http://www.americanacupuncture.com/ for more detailed information on mind, body, and spirit healing.

DANGERS OF BODY PIERCING

 Punching a hole in your  tongue, nipples, or worse your genitals, is a serious decision.  Before you decide to have a body piercing, consider the risks of infection, allergic reactions, nerve damage, teeth damage, bleeding, and  bacterial and viral infections.

DANGERS OF BODY PIERCING

Fashion has no boundaries. We will go to to all limits to keep up with the latest fashion.  For the past 20 years, celebrities, singers, and sport stars, all have had some body piercing.  Popular body parts are the:  eyebrows, lips, tongue, nose, ear, and even genitalia.    

EAR PIERCING

Over the last hundred years, body piercing has been limited to the ears.  As US rebellious hippy  teens traveled to India, looking for enlightenment in the 1960s, they came back with nose rings.  In India this was an accepted adornment.   It offered a new meaning of rebellion against  their mainstream parents.  In the 70’s, punk rockers  picked up the practice, and made it their own form of rebellion.

The Egyptians started ear piercing 5000 years ago.  The oldest recorded mummy had pierced ears with large studs.  It was seen  as a status symbol, of  love and of beauty.   Certain body piercing were restricted only to the royal family. Most Egyptians, of wealth, wore earrings  to  display their wealth and accentuate  their beauty.

 Body jewelry was also a symbol  that  distinguish royalty from the common people.   The nomadic  tribes saw it as mark of wealth and beauty.   It was given as a bridal gift and a part of a dowry.

 In Africa,  ear piercing holes were stretched to indicate their status within the tribe.  The larger the hole, the more important the person.   Earrings were deemed to have magical properties, preventing demons from entering their bodies through the ears. Indians practiced ear piercing and used bones and feathers for their adornment.  During  the Renaissance time,  most male nobility  wore enormous diamond studs to advertise their wealth.

 Sailors, had only one ear pierced, and placed a gold or brass ring in it.  If they were washed ashore after a shipwreck, the finder kept the gold and gave the body a proper Christian burial.

NOSE PIERCING

 In the Middle East,  husbands of nomadic  tribes,  presented their wives with a nose ring at their weddings.  The bigger the ring, the wealthier the family. This offered the bride some security should her husband leave her.

 In India, women traditionally pierced their left nostril and wore the stud ring,  believing their menstrual periods would be less painful, childbirth would be easier, and pregnancy would be more possible.   Some attached a chain from the nostril ring to a pierced ear.

 Among primitive people, piercing of the septum was more common than nostril piercing. It could be stretched, and large pieces of jewelry inserted, as bones, feathers, and pieces of food.   Leg bones of pigs were often used.

 Sometimes the jewelry would be so large, it prevented the person from eating, and it had to be lifted during meals.

 NIPPLE PIERCING

 In the 1890s, Victorian women pierced their nipples  and adorned them with Parisian jewelry.  Women had plunging necklines, and piercing  their nipples helped show off their jewelry.   They even hung silver chains and pearls from one nipple to the other.

 Piercing the nipples also added sensitivity to the breasts and gave visual and tactile stimulation to their men.  Later, men began getting their nipples pierced for pleasure as well.  Some doctors even suggested it improved conditions for breast-feeding.

 As the Roman Republic grew more effeminate with the wealth and luxury, Julius Caesar pierced his nipples  to show his strength and to identify with his men, A Roman Centurions pierced their nipples to show strength and dedication to the Roman empire. It unified and bonded the Roman Army.

 PENILE PIERCING

 Gladiators,  who were usually slaves,  pierced their penises with rings.  This was used to tie the organ  to the testicles with a length of leather, protecting them from serious injury.  If the ring was large enough, it prevented the slave from also  having sex  without the owner’s consent.  The gladiato, after all  was property, and a stud fee was charged to fellow slave owner for the opportunity to raise the next generation of great fighters.

Prince Albert, the future husband of Queen Victoria, was said to have his penis pierced  to enhance his tight fitting trousers. The penile ring was attached to a hook on the inside of one pant leg, tucked between the legs for a neat trim look.

 Young Arabs had their left testes pierced to prevent it  from ascending into the abdomen.

 Piercing genitals should not be taken lightly. An infection here is not just painful but very serious. It can lead to blood poisoning, blocked airways, and toxic shock.

 While men now rely on Viagra to strenthen their libido, women today are alse trying to enhance sexual intercourse. They look to genital piercing to stimulate the clitoris during sex.  Piercing of the clitoral hood, the clitoris itself, the inner and outer labia, and the peritoneum are common today: they often are adorned with diamonds.     Scarring, disfigurement, and tissue inflammation, can result in damage to the birth canal, making future vaginal delivery difficult.

NAVEL PIERCING

Because of the difference between men and women’s abdomens, the navel has long been recognized as an erogenous zone. Women’s  lower abdomens are rounder in the lower part,  while men’s abdomens have  a greater distance between their navel and genitals

 In Egypt, only the pharaoh could have his navel pierced. It represented courage and virility.  No primitive cultures have engaged in navel piercing.   Today, with the invention of the bikini, and exposure of navels  in public,  navel rings have become popular.

TONGUE PIERCING

Tongue piercing was a ritual  in the Aztecs and Mayans culture.    They believed that piercing their tongues opened communication to their gods.   By piercing the tongue, blood was drawn to please the gods;  this created an altered state of consciousness so the high priest could communicate with the gods.   They also pierced their nasal septa, placin boar tusks, bones, and feathers, in them to appear fiercer to their enemies. 

 Tongue piercing  today is very popular, shockingly provocative,  and considered fantastic for oral sex.   Teens feels it’s cool to have a tongue pierced, but most do not realize the potential life-threatening dangers of tongue piercing.

 The American Dental Association is totally against all piercing in the mouth. They find infections common.  The tongue swells so large, it blocks the airways.  Studs, barbells, and hoops, can chip your teeth or even choke you if they come loose.

LIP PIERCING

Women in Central and South America, to emphasize their lips, had their lips pierced which stretched their lips to an incredible size.  Gold and jade were placed in the piercing to enhance sexuality.

 Other tribes  wore labret  plates in their upper lips to enhance beauty and entice men.   These were made of wood, ivory metal, and even quartz crystals.  Among the Aztecs, labret  piercing was reserved  only for men in authority.

The type of  plate worn indicated whether a woman was available or already betrothed.   These were made of wood, ivory, bones, precious metals like gold, and abalone shells. 

RELIGIOUS BACKLASH

In the dark ages, the medieval church  condemned  body piercing as sinful, and the interest in the procedure died down. It was abandoned for several hundred years in Western civilization.

 Here in America,  the Puritan movement did away with men wearing earrings until 1970.   The Europeans kept the practice alive reviving it to today’s new popularity.

DANGERS OF PIERCING

Navel piercing  can often result in fungal infections  and tends to collect dirt.  The navel takes a long time to heal since it is on the waist,  and the rings acts like  hinges on the body.  The navel is subject to a lot of movement;  clothes rub the area and cause irritation.  It may takes up to one year for healing to occur.  Most people fail to see a small amount of redness (signifying inflammation) around the area where the ring pierced the body.  All redness must disappear  to insure complete healing.  Pliers are usually needed to change the rings.

 If you are exercising or sweating a lot, the sweat acts like acid and aggravates the wound.  The piercing can use some sunshine to help promote healing.   Many make the mistake of using hydrogen peroxide or Betadine in cleaning their navels. This destroys the cells that form scar tissue.  Using creams and ointments can keep the wound moist and delay healing, and attract bacteria.

 Without proper washing of the navel, the skin may heal around the jewelry and tear the inside of the wound when the jewelry moves.   Deep navels are difficult to clean adequately.

 Wearing tight jeans and skirts also delay the healing process and caused the piercing to grow out.  The piercing diminishes until the ring finally comes out.   Synthetic fabrics keep the wound from breathing. 

 If the ring is removed during the healing phase, the piercing will be lost.  Jewelry should not be replaced until there is full healing.  Silver jewelry is very dangerous, since it oxidizes in the wound, and causes many allergic reactions.   Silver body jewelry should never be worn.

 Chains and charms are often placed on navel rings,

 If you become pregnant, you must remove the ring about the sixth month, since the abdominal  skin expands. Fishing lines are often placed to keep the piercing open till after the pregnancy.

ENERGY BLOCKING ---Placing metals on body piercing sites, can block energy, disturbed meridians, and cause long-term health problems.  Most metals on the body have a negative effect on your health.

We acupuncturists placed small metal balls on an acupuncture point to stimulate that point. The critical factor is where the points are located on the body.

 Metals such as nickel, chrome, cobalt, and palladium all cause allergic reactions.  All these metals are found in costume jewelry.   When the skin is exposed to cheap jewelry, skin related problems occur.  Even a 14 karat gold stud has a large amount of nickel and can cause skin allergies. One would be safer in using titanium, or stainless steel for the jewelry.  Any metal can result in contact dermatitis as it is rubbed against the skin.

 The tongue is an important energy center in the body. It is where the central nervous system meets the governing system. Energetically, when the middle of the tongue is pierced,  the  spleen Qi  energy is depleted,  and  depression and muscle wasting occur.

 The navel,  called the “hara”,  is the main power center.  Since it is located near a meridian,  putting a metal stud there,  distorts and short circuits the energy fields.

INFECTIONS --- piercing is not always a safe procedure and is not simple. There are risks of hepatitis B, C, and AIDS, transmitted in unsafe piercing studios when done by unqualified people in non-sterile conditions. Avoid ear cartilage piercing  since infections are common and healing is often delayed.

Piercing also results in complications like swallowing, infection, and bleeding.

If the normal tissues are interfered with scar tissue,  keloids occur.   When jewelry is removed from the pierced area, skin dimpling often occurs.

COMMENTARY

Fashion is fine, as long as fashion does not harm you.   Many people are oblivious to the potential health risks body piercing causes.

 Punching a hole in your  tongue, nipples, or worse your genitals, is a serious decision.  Before you decide to have a body piercing, consider the risks of infection, allergic reactions, nerve damage, teeth damage, bleeding, and  bacterial and viral infections.

There is no appropriate regulation of the body piercing industry.  Minors are not protected from potential serious health issues.  Teenagers should be protected from the potential harmful side effects of body piercing.

RELATED POSTS
Tattoos are forever
Dangers of Energy Drinks

Visit www.drneedles.com for more information on controversial medical subjects.

As a medical physician for over 51 years, I strive to give you the best medical information on controversial medical subjects, and help your read betwwen the lines. You must come to your own conclusions. I have no ties to any organization, pharmaceutical, or lobby group. As an practicing medical acupuncturist since 1982, I find western medicine and medical acupuncture are very complimentary. This results in astounding healing in pain management, addictions to cigarettes and food, and a host of other maladies. Visit drneedles is blogging" at the end of each blog for a complete alphabetical list of all my blogs Visit http://www.americanacupuncture.com/ for more detailed information on mind, body, and spirit healing.

DANGERS OF ENERGY DRINKS

It seems everyone today is looking for energy.   They have found the answer in energy drinks, which are becoming their own food group.The true remedy for lack of energy is getting enough sleep and eating right.  Energy drink chemicals have enormous dangers and side effects.   The stimulating properties in energy drinks increase heart rates and blood pressure, and prevent sleep.  People who eat well, drink water, and get enough physical activity and rest will have plenty of energy — the natural way.


DANGERS OF ENERGY DRINKS

It seems everyone today is looking for energy.   They have found the answer in energy drinks, which are becoming their own food group. 

The drink’s popularity has exploded across the world. It is now common to spot the drinks everywhere from high schools and college campuses to party scenes and even in some corporate settings.  Many are unaware of the dangers of energy drinks.

Today the world drinks more than 900,000,000 gallons of these energy drinks.  First popularized in Europe in 1960s, energy drinks are now a $5.4 billion dollar market. 

In the 60’s, the first US drink was marketed to improve hydration and prolong athletic performances. It was invented for the University of Florida Gators, and was called Gatorade.   Known as a sports drink, it is safer than most energy drinks.

CAFFEINE

The US has one of the loosest sets of regulation around labeling and health warnings.   Using a loophole created by the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, energy producers are not required to place caffeine intoxification warning labels on their energy drinks, An energy drink can have up to 500 mg of caffeine, five times the recommended dose, without any warning labels.

 Classified as dietary supplements, energy drinks have no limits on the caffeine added.   Caffeine levels range from 50mg to 500 mg in a 20 oz bottle. Caffeine in energy drinks can excrete water from the body to dilute high concentrations of sugar entering the blood stream, leading to dehydration. If the body is dehydrated by 1%, performance is decreased by up to 10%.

Many of these energy drinks lead to caffeine addictions. This results in withdrawal symptoms as headache, dizziness, muscle stiffness, depression and fatigue, when they skip their energy drink.   An over dose of caffeine can mimic mental disorders.

Stimulants, such as ginseng and ginkgo balboa, are often added to enhance the effects of caffeine, and others, such as guarana and yerba mate, contain caffeine.

Drinking as many as five cans a day, many use this drink like a pop.  Teenagers, being more sensitive to caffeine than adults, are literally drunk on a caffeine buzz all day.   Caffeine should not be given to children under the age of 12, and certainly no more than 100 mg every 3 to 4 hours.   No-doze tablets contain 100 mg of caffeine and warning labels are required.

RELATED POST:  THE COFFEE BUZZ

Many feel they have more energy because of physical responses they feel.  Caffeine works by blocking the effects of adenosine, a brain chemical involved in sleep. When caffeine blocks adenosine, it causes neurons in the brain to fire. Thinking the body is in an emergency, the pituitary gland initiates the body's "fight or flight" response by releasing adrenaline. This hormone makes the heart beat faster and the eyes dilate. It also causes the liver to release extra sugar into the bloodstream for energy. Caffeine affects the levels of dopamine, a chemical in the brain's pleasure center.

OTHER INGREDIENTS IN ENERGY DRINKS

        

To top it off, high amounts of sugar artificially-sweeteners are added.   Other common ingredients are guarana, acai ginseng, maltodextrin, carbonated water, inositol, carnitine, creatine, glucuronolactone, ephedrine, theobromine  ginkgo biloba, vitamin B, herbs, and taurine.

TAURINE

Synthetic taurine is implicated in high blood pressure, strokes, seizures, heart disease, and has been accused of having a sedative effect on the brain.  It has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system that’s very unnatural

 Taurine is a free-form amino acid that plays an important role in muscle contraction (especially in the heart) and the nervous system.   It is contained in many foods and manufactured by the body from amino acid cysteine.  The body naturally makes taurine during exercise and in times of stress.    A good diet supplies all your daily needs of taurine. The daily dose should be between 100 and 500 mg a day.  One can of an energy drink has 1000 mg of synthetic produced taurine.

It works deep inside the brain’s regulatory area of the thalamus, interacting with neurotransmitters, is involved in the sleep wake cycle pathways of the brain, and plays a role in the crash people get after drinking highly caffeinated beverages.

 EXERCISE & ENERGY DRINKS

Energy drinks should not be confused with sports drinks such as Gatorade, which are consumed to help people stay hydrated during exercise. Sports drinks also provide carbohydrates in the form of sugar and electrolytes that may be lost through perspiration.

During exercise, electrolytes are lost, resulting in dehydration and irregular heart beats.  The caffeine in energy drinks adds to dehydration.  Water is still the most effective way to prevent dehydration.

ALCOHOL & ENERGY DRINKS

It’s become trendy to mix the drinks with alcohol, which dehydrates the body and interferes with normal sleep patterns.  Teenagers tend to drink energy drinks with alcohol with the intent of counteracting alcohol intoxication, to hide the taste of alcohol, and to lessen the subjective effects of alcohol intoxication like dizziness and headache,

This mix, however, is hazardous, since energy drinks mask the influence of alcohol and a person may misinterpret their actual level of intoxication. [They drink more alcohol, and are also more likely to suffer alcohol-related consequences such as sexual assault, injury and riding with an intoxicated driver, even after adjusting for the number of drinks.

Those who drink mixers are more likely than non-mixers to drink more alcohol, and are also more likely to suffer alcohol-related consequences such as sexual assault, injury and riding with an intoxicated driver, even after adjusting for the number of drinks.

STUDENTS AND ENERGY DRINKS

Many young people drink the beverage to look cool and fit with their friends and to get a buzz. They find they can spend longer amounts of time studying for tests, stay awake in the morning, and enjoy a buzz by mixing it with alcohol. It has become a teenage obsession and the potential dangers are not discussed.  Consuming high-energy drinks can have a detrimental impact on their ability to concentrate in class.

Most of these drinks are simply carbonated water loaded with gut-fattening high fructose corn syrup.  Most energy drinks contain at least 27g of sugar per 8oz can. Those drinks that are advertised as sugar-free usually contain artificial sweeteners, which are worse for you than real sugar.

 These drinks lead to more teenage obesity, by being packed with a lot of calories, some offering over 60 g of sugar (that's 15 teaspoons) in one can!

Besides empty calories and a nasty assault on their teeth, drinks that are this sweet really don't help keep their bodies hydrated. These drinks replace more nutritious drinks as milk, vegetable juices, and the often overlooked hydrating powerhouse “ water”.

COMMENTARY

The true remedy for lack of energy is getting enough sleep and eating right.  Energy drink chemicals have enormous dangers and side effects.   The stimulating properties in energy drinks increase heart rates and blood pressure, and prevent sleep.  People who eat well, drink water, and get enough physical activity and rest will have plenty of energy — the natural way.

Your comments are always appreciated.  Visit www.drneedles.com for more medical commentaries on controversial timely subjects.

As a medical physician for over 51 years, I strive to give you the best medical information on controversial medical subjects, and help your read betwwen the lines. You must come to your own conclusions. I have no ties to any organization, pharmaceutical, or lobby group. As an practicing medical acupuncturist since 1982, I find western medicine and medical acupuncture are very complimentary. This results in astounding healing in pain management, addictions to cigarettes and food, and a host of other maladies. Visit drneedles is blogging" at the end of each blog for a complete alphabetical list of all my blogs Visit http://www.americanacupuncture.com/ for more detailed information on mind, body, and spirit healing.

TATTOOS ARE FOREVER

Today, with the addition of new inks, tattooing has certainly reached a new plateau.  Everyone is seeking a tattoo with some personal style that creates some new and unique body art.  Children are being groomed to have removable sticker tattoos.  Teen-agers, who want to show their independence and have  $100 in their pockets, get the real thing.  Most don't realize that "Tattoos are forever".

TATTOOS ARE FOREVER

With the hot summer, semi naked bodies are visible everywhere.   It is amazing to see the number and locations of tattoos at the swimming pools.

 Tattoos are forever.   Getting a small tattoo generally costs $100 - $200, depending on the intricacy of the tattoo.   Removal of that same tattoo might cost you up to ten times that amount!

 In the past, tattoos were prevalent in our veterans. They were travel markers and told where the vet had been.    They displayed art images of bravery and wartime icons.  

After World War II, tattoos were associated with juvenile delinquents and were only found on the sleazy side of towns. The general public held tattoo parlors in disrepute.  And heavily tattooed people were not on the basketball court, but traveled with circuses and freak shows.

 Outbreaks of hepatitis, blood poisoning, and other diseases, almost eliminated most tattoo shops. Despite them having sterilization machines, few tattoo artists used them. Contamination by HIV or hepatitis B and C today occur frequently if piercing needles are not properly sterilized.  Despite good needles sterilization, infections occur when the ink is reused on previously infected customers.

  

 In Japan, tattoos were used to mark criminals. First offenses were marked with a line across the forehead.  Adding an arch marked a second crime. A third offense was marked by another line. Together these marks formed the Japanese character for "dog". It appears this was the original "Three strikes your out" law.

Tattooing signified membership in a particular group, like the Hells Angels.  TV and movies have used the idea of a tattoo indication membership in a secret society. Romans marked criminals and slaves, and the Nazis during WW11 tattooed numbers above the wrist on holocaust prisoners to identify them.

 Tattooing was a slow and painstaking procedure, and each puncture of the skin was done by hand as the ink was applied. In 1891, Sam O'Rielly patented the first electric tattooing machine. It was based on Edison's electric pen, which punctured paper with a needlepoint. The basic design had moving coils, a tube and a needle bar, and became the components of today's tattoo gun.

THE TATTOO REVIVAL

In the late 1960s, Lyle Tuttle, a handsome, charming, and interesting chap, began to tattoo celebrities, particularly women.   Knowing how to use the media, magazines and television media people flocked to Lyle to get information about this ancient art form.   Soon this rise in popularity placed tattooists in the category of "fine artists".  Basketball stars like Dennis Rodman and his colleagues on national TV. popularized tattoos.

Today, with the addition of new inks, tattooing has certainly reached a new plateau.  Everyone is seeking a tattoo with some personal style that creates some new and unique body art.  Children are being groomed to have removable sticker tattoos.  Teen-agers, who want to show their independence and have  $100 in their pockets, get the real thing.

When you get a tattoo, the ink is deposited in the dermis, the lower layer of skin. That’s why it can’t be rubbed off, and why the ink-laden skin is not shed and renewed. In case of tattoo removal that deep layer of skin needs to be accessed and that is very difficult to achieve.

REMOVING TATTOS

You should make the decision to get a tattoo with the idea that it can be removed later on if you change your mind!  Tattoo removal is still not quick, easy, nor cheap. In fact, it may turn out to be substantially more expensive and painful than it was to get the tattoo in the first place.

 Today, laser tattoo removal is the most popular way to remove a tattoo. The laser energy is directed at the tattoo area.  It passes through the skin and absorbs the inks, allowing the body to process ink fragments and remove  them.

 Laser removal generally costs at least about $150 per session and can be as high as $800 or more per session. A small, dark tattoo that is not too deeply placed may take only one or two sessions for complete removal, but most require several sessions to see a dramatic difference.  For complete removal, as many as 10 sessions are required.

This process can take time, money, and many treatments before it is successful. Expect to come in every 6-8 weeks for your treatments.  Expect to pay roughly about $45 per square inch per visit for the removal of your tattoo.

Short pulses of light target the tattoo ink that is under the skin. The light breaks the ink apart into very small pieces.   The body’s own immune system attacks and carries away the small ink fragment pieces.

A Q-YAG 5 laser is used that has two wavelengths (1064 and 532 nm).  Darker tattoo inks are removed with the 1064 wavelength, and a mixed 1064/532 wavelength is best for the bright colored inks.  Green, purple, brown, light orange, and light blue colors require many laser removal treatments.   Some shades of purples, pinks, yellow, and white never fade away completely.   Forearm, hand and ankle tattoos are the hardest to remove.

A blister followed by a scab (the color of the tattoo), forms the next few days.   With every treatment, there is damage done to the surface of the skin, leaving scars behind.  Removal also leaves blisters behind as well as scabs over the places where the laser destroyed the tattoo ink. The more treatments you have done, the higher chance there is of permanent scarring.  The chance of scarring depends in the size and color of the tattoo as well as the thickness of your skin; thin skin scars more easily.

Darker colors are easier to remove and may require fewer treatments.  Colors like yellow, green and fluorescent colors are the hardest tattoo colors to be removed. The type of tattoo ink that is used as well as how deep the artist injected the ink also play a part in removal success.

Other removal techniques don’t work.  They include: chemical peel, bleach, dermabrasion, salt abrasion, hair removal pulsed light, and surgical excision.   All of these non-laser methods tend to also cause scarring.

COVER THE TATTOO

If you're not happy with your tattoo design and you're not too fancy about tattoo removal, you can choose for a cover up tattoo.    Well-done cover up tattoos make the old tattoo less visible, The success rate depends on the techniques used, size and colors of the old tattoo.

Sometimes laser removal machines are used to lighten up the old tattoo. The colors of the new tattoo have to be darker than those of the old tattoo to successfully hide the unwanted design.

WHY REMOVE A TATTOO?

Your life changes when you get older (marriage, children) and your once loved tattoo, can be a source of embarrassment.   When your tattoo is in a visible place on your body, it could be holding you back from getting a new job.

A tattoo that is connected in some way with an ex girl or boyfriend may also be a good reason to remove the tattoo.  If the love is over, so is your love for the tattoo.   Tattoos change, as you get older. You may have put on some weight and your tattoo got stretched.  Perhaps you're not happy with the quality of the tattoo design.

When you are getting your tattoo removed you want the best person with the lowest cost.  With a procedure like this, it is important that you don't skimp on quality.  Look for a specialist who is a board certified doctor or dermatologist and who has the experience and equipment to do this procedure.

If you are thinking about a tattoo, think twice and save yourself a lot of grief.  Above all, don’t let your teenager talk you into permission for tattooing.  Remember, there is no regulation nor approved training to become a tattoo specialist.

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 As a medical physician for over 51 years, I strive to give you the best medical information on controversial medical subjects, and help your read betwwen the lines. You must come to your own conclusions. I have no ties to any organization, pharmaceutical, or lobby group. As an practicing medical acupuncturist since 1982, I find western medicine and medical acupuncture are very complimentary. This results in astounding healing in pain management, addictions to cigarettes and food, and a host of other maladies. Visit drneedles is blogging" at the end of each blog for a complete alphabetical list of all my blogs Visit http://www.americanacupuncture.com/ for more detailed information on mind, body, and spirit healing.