Is acupuncture an effetive treatment for Insomnia Dissertation

Is acupuncture an effetive treatment for Insomnia - Dissertation Example The main objective of this research is to conduct a review of literature and assess whether acupuncture is an effective treatment for insomnia. Insomnia Defined Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or to remain asleep for an adequate length of time, so that tiredness is virtually permanent (Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary 2007, p.370). According to the British United Provident Association (2011), primary and secondary insomnia are the two classifications of insomnia. Primary insomnia has no noticeable grounds while secondary insomnia is caused by an underlying problem, such as stressful events, psychiatric problems, medical conditions, drug and substance abuse, certain types of medication and psychological problems such as grief and depression. Moreover, the National Health Service (NHS) described insomnia as either short term insomnia which lasts for one to four weeks, and long-term (or persistent) insomnia, which persists for more than four weeks. According to the NHS (year), if a person has been diagnosed with short term insomnia, their GP will generally advise them on good sleep hygiene, and if the insomnia is affecting him/her during the day, then the GP may prescribe sleeping tablets. Moreover, if a person has been diagnosed with long term Insomnia, their GP will recommend the same as for short term Insomnia, along with cognitive and behavioural treatments (CBT). Additionally, if the patient is over 55 years old, the GP may consider prescribing Melatonin. Kaptchuk (2000, p. 191) describes insomnia in Chinese texts as â€Å"Yang unable to enter Yin†. This typically suggests that Blood or Yin or both are insufficient and not able to sustain the Spirit in the Heart. There is therefore a relative oversupply of the Yang, which is not in equilibrium and is unable to calm down in balance. An oversupply of the Yang or Fire in any other organ can also be a reason for insomnia. The persistent desire to sleep, or oversleeping, is often a sign of Deficie nt Yang, Deficient Qi, or Dampness. Under Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), when a person suffers from insomnia, one generally tends to find that the two organs that are most often out of balance are the Heart and the Liver. Each of these two organs houses a specific aspect of the spirit. The Heart houses the mind (Shen) and the Liver houses the ethereal soul (Hun). If these organs are out of balance, they will not be able to house the spirit properly, and the spirit will wander (Kaptchuk 2000). According to Maciocia (2005) sleep generally depends on the state of Blood and Yin, especially that of the Heart and Liver. During the night the Yin Qi predominates, and the mind and ethereal soul should be anchored in Heart Blood and Liver Blood. If the mind and/or ethereal soul are not anchored, a sleep disturbance is likely to occur. Research Aim The present paper aims to review pertinent literature to ascertain the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of insomia among adults. Research Hypotheses Ho: Acupuncture is not an effective treatment for insomnia. Ha: Acupuncture is an effective treatment for insomnia. Method The current paper makes use of critical review of literature to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment method for insomnia. This entailed the search of