Aruba Sports Medicine

La Medicina Natural y Tradicional, Alternativa Terapeutica de Multiples Patologias

La medicina tradicional y natural considera al hombre de manera holística, es decir, en su totalidad y dentro de un aspecto ecológico. Parte de que la falta de salud o la enfermedad proceden de un desequilibrio del hombre en su sistema ecológico total y no solo del agente causal y la evolución patógena. Para mantener una adecuada salud mental y física debe existir un equilibrio biológico, cuando este se rompe aparece la enfermedad.

La medicina natural y tradicional China es una ciencia milenaria, la práctica es tan antigua como la humanidad, las técnicas afines más frecuentes de esta ciencia son: acupuntura, moxibustión, ventosas, digitopuntura, masajes terapéuticos, fitoterapia, láserpuntura, electroacupuntura, analgesia acupuntural y farmacopuntura.

En la medicina natural se realizan diferentes diagnósticos siendo el principal el estilo de vida pues nos habla de cómo caminar, descansar, si hacemos o no ejercicio físico, hábitos y patrones de conducta como: manejar el estrés, los sentimientos, nuestras relaciones con los demás, con la naturaleza, todo esto nos da una idea donde se encuentra el problema del paciente y con un buen examen físico y la observación integral nos permite llegar a un adecuado diagnóstico y un mejor tratamiento.

Acupuntura

Acupuntura( acu del latín significa aguja y puntura punzar), el proceder terapéutico asiático consiste en aplicar agujas muy finas en determinados puntos del cuerpo estimulándolos para tratar diferentes enfermedades, regulando la energía de meridianos, los excesos o vacíos de energía, tanto en el meridiano como en los órganos, así propician su buen funcionamiento. La acupuntura y las otras técnicas afines como la moxibustión, ventosas etc… no solo se aplican en China y otros países de Asia como Japón, Vietnam y Mongolia, también fue difundido con posterioridad en Europa (Francia, Italia, España, Suiza, Alemania, Holanda, Rusia) y al continente americano muchos años después. En la medicina occidental también se aplica la acupuntura en diferentes especialidades. el método de anestesia con acupuntura se utiliza en operaciones ginecológicas, oftalmológicas, cirugía general y en la estomatología actúa en la remisión del dolor, regula la excitación de los nervios como en las neuralgias y en las parálisis estimulándolos para recuperar la motilidad ,ayuda a la recuperación acelerada de las enfermedades inflamatorias porque altera de manera favorable el número de leucocitos y refuerza la función de fagocitosis, regula también las funciones de excreción de hormonas ,actúa sobre el sistema inmunológico pues se aplica acupuntura para el dolor ,la hipertensión arterial ,las lumbalgias ,tendinitis, bursitis, artrosis, artritis y muchas enfermedades más .

Contraindicaciones de la acupuntura: no se debe aplicar en pacientes con cáncer y otras enfermedades malignas, pero sí en los efectos secundarios como: falta de sueño y depresión; no en enfermedades infecto contagiosas, no en lesiones de la piel como quemaduras, no se aplica en el embarazo, no en pacientes que consumen drogas, no en hemorragias, no en pacientes muy ancianos o personas muy débiles ni en niños menores de siete años.

Moxibustión

Moxibustión es un método de tratamiento en la medicina tradicional china con el cual se previene o se tratan las enfermedades mediante el calor que se produce con una moxa o tabaco de Artemisa en el punto de acupuntura indicado, puede aplicarse directo sobre la piel o indirectamente con sal, ajo, jengibre etc….

Se aplica para tratar enfermedades por insuficiencia debido al frío y en enfermedades crónicas, influye en el sistema inmunológico al regular la energía, expulsar el frío y la humedad, también se puede aplicar en dolores agudos, promueve el buen funcionamiento del sistema digestivo.

Contraindicaciones de moxibustión: no aplicar en personas con fiebre superior a 38 grados centígrados, hipertensión arterial grave, niños menores de siete años, personas con piel frágil (diabéticos, pacientes con lesiones en la piel).

Ventosas (cupping therapy)

Ventosas (cupping therapy), las ventosas es otra de las técnicas de la medicina tradicional china, es un método terapéutico heredado de nuestros ancestros, su objetivo principal es producir congestión local o extraer la sangre con previa succión en la zona de la piel aplicada.

Existen diferentes tipos de ventosas, de bambú, cristal y plásticas. Se puede aplicar en combinación con la acupuntura. La forma de aplicar puede ser con fuego o con bomba de succión.

Su acción influye en la piel, dilatan las arterias y venas de la piel, activan la circulación de la sangre, elevan la temperatura de la piel acelerando el metabolismo, refuerzan la respiración cutánea y la nutrición, influyen en los músculos, en las articulaciones y en los nervios periféricos, influyen además en el sistema circulatorio y la sangre.

Aplicación en afecciones como: contusión, distorsión, neuralgias, parálisis periférica, ciatalgia, bronquitis, neumonía, tos, asma bronquial, litiasis renal y vesicular etc….

Contraindicaciones: no aplicar en pacientes con fiebre elevada, convulsiones, embarazo, trastornos de la coagulación, regiones del cuerpo con edemas y afecciones de la piel.

Laser Therapy

What are the effects of using lasers?

The use of laser in physiotherapy, if it has these characteristics, increases metabolic activity by acting on the mitochondria, which can reduce healing times. In addition, it produces an increase in vasodilation, improves lymphatic drainage, reduces inflammation and increases the pain threshold. Photomechanical stimulation inhibits pain sensation and provides immediate relief.

Toral points out that laser therapy “has no absolute contraindications.” Laser therapy is painless, and although it increases the temperature of the treated area, it is not invasive. The laser acts on the cell membrane generating a photochemical effect, which facilitates tissue regeneration, pain reduction and remodeling of inflammatory effects.

All these characteristics allow to obtain a series of effects that were not achieved with the low-power laser.

  • The biostimulant effect accelerates the production of fibroblasts with the consequent production of collagen in order to rebalance the extracellular matrix and to remodel the tissues. This is only achieved by long pulse continuous or pulsed emission.
  • The anti-inflammatory effect is the result of biological stimulation of the tissues, which triggers vasodilation.
  • Stimulation also produces a neoangiogenesis phenomenon that has an anti- edema effect .
  • High-powered laser therapy also has relaxation effects by modulating the release of oxygen.
  • Finally, the analgesic effect allows to reduce pain without collateral effects, optimizing the interaction with the peripheral nervous system.

 

What can laser be used for in physiotherapy?

With these functionalities, the laser covers a wide spectrum of applications.

  • In traumatology it is used for post-trauma recovery , because it allows the possibility of modeling the emission according to the desired physiological effect.
  • In pain therapy, because it is capable of generating a rapid decrease in joint and muscle pain through the stochastic emission patented by Mectronic, which acts on the peripheral nervous system.
  • In the prevention of accidents, because if they undergo laser therapy treatments before the sporting event, the musculoskeletal structures will be vascularized and perfectly oxygenated, reducing the risk of micro-injuries.
  • To speed up recovery , because the multi-modal emission allows the therapy to be personalized according to the need.
  • To quickly eliminate edema, because it allows you to customize the therapy according to the somatic characteristics of the patient and their pathological state.
  • To heal muscle injuries, because it allows the metabolic activation of all microbiological processes that return the intracellular and extracellular balance to the cell, in order to rapidly rebuild muscle tissue.
  • To treat acute pathologies, because it modulates, in the water phase of the pathology, the inflammatory effects through a stimulating action of the deep tissues.
  • To treat tendinopathies, because it exerts a biostimulant action and rebalances the correct balance of muscle forces through deep and complete oxygenation of the muscle fasciae.
  • As a physiological accelerator , because it allows the correct biostimulant therapy to be applied by defining the energy dose and the mode of emission depending on the pathological condition of the patient.

Most common applications

  • Deep tissue penetration with power up to 12 W in continuous mode
  • Pulsating mode for immediate pain relief
  • Painful shoulder
  • Hip arthrosis
  • Epicondylitis
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Patellar tendonitis
  • Lumbar pain
  • Achilles tendonitis
  • Back pain

 

Cupping Therapy

What exactly is cupping in the context of massage?

A treatment for cupping that is therapeutic includes warming and placing cups, usually made of glass, on the skin. In the process of warming the air in the cup, a vacuum is created, and when it is applied to the skin tissues are drawn to the cup. This promotes healing, increases blood flow, and also reduces the tension in connective tissue. It is similar to deep tissue massage, which can help reduce pain and to break down scar tissue. Cupping is commonly applied to areas of pain, such as the back, neck, and shoulders. The cups can cause temporary soreness or bruise dependent on the strength of suction created by vacuum as well as the degree of internal stagnation. This would indicate that the treatment has eliminated stagnation and toxins, according to TCM. The cups are removed by lifting one edge and allowing air to enter and breaking the seal and vacuum.

What exactly is cupping therapy??
TCM believes that stagnation in blood or qi is what is the cause of the disease. Cupping stimulates the local circulation of blood and qi around the area of treatment. This helps to relieve the swelling, tension, and discomfort. It draws impurities to the surface and removes toxic substances. According to Western science, cupping improves the flow of blood and relaxes connective tissue. Cupping stimulates tissue relaxation and better cell-to-cell communication. The work of U.S. physiologist and acupuncturist Helene Langevin has documented cell-level changes using an ultrasound camera. She has proven the effects of cupping, acupuncture, and massage relax tissue and reducing markers of inflammation. Inflammatory cytokines (chemical messengers) are reduced, while the cytokines that aid in healing and relaxation are increased.

What are the benefits of cupping?

The advantages of cupping include local pain relief and relaxing muscles. Cupping helps improve overall health by removing the blockages in energy that TCM practitioners consider to be obstacles in the flow of energy or Qi. In the case of athletes, cupping may assist in increasing the flow of blood to a specific muscle region or help reduce discomfort. Cupping was used by a variety of athletes during the Rio Olympics 2016. This can be seen in circular markings on some members of the U.S. swim team members.

How long will the cupping of bumps require?

The bruises that result from cupping last from a few days to a couple of weeks. According to TCM practitioner Casco, it is expected that after several weeks of repeated cupping treatments the bruises will reduce as the stagnation is eliminated. This is an indication of a successful cupping protocol.

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