The things that are classified as alternative medical treatments will often depend on the background and physical location of the person doing the classification. Surgery could very well be a form of alternative medicine to a practitioner of Classical Chinese Medicine in the same way that acupuncture is considered alternative medicine to a family doctor in Missouri. A further testament to the complexities of healing and to how little we still really understand is illustrated by the fact that some alternative medical practices have alternatives within themselves. Hand acupuncture is an example of this.
Although there are several forms of acupuncture that differ in some ways from Traditional Chinese acupuncture, Korean Hand Acupuncture is a relatively new treatment. It was developed in 1971 by Dr. Yu Tao Woo. It has been gaining in popularity ever since its introduction. The basic premise of Korean Hand Acupuncture is that the hand can be used as a microcosm of the entire human body. A smaller scale of all of the bodies Meridians and acupuncture points can be found within the human hand.
Since the hand is actually a map of the acupuncture points of the entire body, treatments can be done by stimulating points on the hand alone. The stimulation can be done with the insertion of very small needles that barely penetrate the skin or it can come from manual pressure. Small acupatches work very well in this procedure. The ?surround the dragon? concept of acupuncture is very commonly employed. Since points relating to certain organs are all located in close proximity of the hand, these points can all be subjected to a sort of massive pressure attack all at once.
Among the reasons leading to the popularity of Korean Hand Acupuncture is that it is even safer than traditional acupuncture. This is really saying much, too. Acupuncture is considered to be an extremely safe procedure. This is usually cited as one of its biggest advantages. So, if similar results can be achieved with an even safer procedure that is using the same general principles, it would account for the increasing popularity.
One thing can be said in favor of Korean Hand Acupuncture. A review of the writings of some of its adherents reveals no delusions that their procedure is some sort of miracle treatment that will someday replace all other forms of Medicine. They do not even expect it to replace body acupuncture. It is seen as a tool that can be used in the treatment of certain conditions. Korean Hand Acupuncture, and its concept of Koryo Sooji Chim, can take its place alongside Traditional Chinese Medicine and even Western Medicine in the battle to maintain health in human beings and banish pain and disease.
