Effectiveness of Birth Control
Family planning is a necessity in our society today because of the fact that the earth’s resources are becoming less and less every year and in a study it is estimated that there would be 12 million infant births in 2025 alone. From 8 million in 2019 every year there is an increase of 1.004 million births.
Looking into these statistics the effectiveness of birth control as it relates the number of infant births per year is still pretty high. The campaign of different sectors of government has become more and more aggressive in the past few years targeting larger urban areas in big cities.
Even with the heightened awareness about the importance of family planning and birth control methods the effectiveness of the campaign still remains underwhelming in terms of results.
Some of the factors that may contribute to the lack of positive results of the campaign on birth control is the fact some people still are not aware of the different methods that are available to them. In the past it has been the problem for some government agencies to make people accept contraception because of the massive disagreement that Catholics showed saying that it is only God that can give and take people’s lives.
Of course these people are talking about abortion which in fact is not a form of contraception nor is it a form of family planning or birth control.
Abortion is in fact a crime in a lot of countries and most of the states of the US.
If people protests against birth control because they believe it is a form of abortion then that means they are under informed and that they are ignorant to the concept of Natural birth control. Because of the opposition that contraception received from moralists and religious orders, the concept of Natural birth control was introduced.
Though the confusion of the idea caused people not to believe in it at first, it has been regarded as more favorable by the anti-contraception groups.
Contraception methods are what we call artificial birth control. These methods include condoms (both male and female), hormonal method, birth control pills, Intrauterine device, ligation, spermicide (chemical only), spermicide with sponge, injections (Depo-Provera) and Vasectomy.
These are just some of the most common methods that include the use of different devices or chemicals to prevent sperms and egg cells from meeting.
Recently it was known that not only is birth control effective in planning the family but it also effective in preventing sexually transmitted diseases and other infection in people.
Because some of the devices used in birth control prevent contact of skin in the reproductive organs, the chances of catching the infection are minimized if not totally eliminated. So aside for the health department campaigning for married couples to plan their family for the future, young couples are also requested to use protection to prevent the spread of Sexually transmitted diseases and/or early pregnancy(that is also a big issue not only in the United States but all over the world).
The effectiveness of birth control methods greatly rely on the cooperation of people who are directly or indirectly affected by the issue. It may not be enough to just talk about it but more on acting upon it and getting the results that are badly needed by the country and the people of this planet.
The Effectiveness Of Acupuncture
Whenever you are feeling pain and discomfort, you'd usually reach for your painkillers for relief. While they do relieve the pain, they also bring along side effects that comes with taking foreign chemicals into your body. As much as modern medicine has developed drugs that can relieve pain right off the bat, do you really think that the quick fixes you've been taking are actually good for your body? Why not try something safer and more effective like acupuncture.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture has surged in popularity for the last few decades as brought on by the recent health trend. Mostly known as a traditonal Chinese medical technique, acupuncture is seen as a homeopathic method of treatment. While alternative medicine does raise a lot of eyebrows for the scientifically-inclined, it does merit attention before being dismissed as a quack cure.
Basic Procedure
Basically, needles are inserted into the skin, each corresponding to one of the numerous pressure points located throughout the body. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, by inserting a needle into the pressure point, an acupuncturist can manipulate the flow of chi or life force, thus relieving pain and gradually treating the patient. While most would say that the whole chi thing is a bunch of nonsense, science has suggested that with the needles inserted, the body's natural painkillers called endorphins are released, thus helping with pain relief.
Instruments
Modern acupuncturists nowadays use disposable fine stainless steel needles that are 0.007 to 0.020 inches in diameter which are sterilized with either ethylene oxide or by autoclave. Since they are way finer than hypodermic syringe needles, being poked by these needles are relatively painless. The upper third of the needle is covered with either a thicker bronze wire or plastic to make the needle sturdier and easier to handle. The length of the needle and how far they are inserted is all up to the acupuncturist and his practised style of acupuncture.
Example Of Treatment
If a patient has a headache, he/she is diagnosed and is treated by stimulating the sensitive points located at the webs between the thumbs and palms. In acupuncture theory, these points are connected to the face and head and can be used for treatment of headaches and other ailments involved. Needles are then carefully inserted into the skin until the patient feels a twinge, which is usually accompanied by a slight involuntary twitching of the area. During this treatment, a number of things may occur.
- Sensitivity to pain in where needles are inserted.
- A hint of nausea during treatment in case of bad headaches.
- Near-immediate headache relief.
Evolution
As an ancient method, acupuncture has crossed over into the modern age with implementations of technology and recent scientific findings. Electrical stimulation is now a common technique that is combined with acupuncture to produce more effective results. Also, acupuncturists combined this eastern technique with western methods to further enhance the treatment.
Practitioners have eventually realized that leaning towards one school of thought can't propagate progress unless they are willing to move towards the future by looking towards other horizons as well.
Reactions And Research
Not everyone is impressed with acupuncture itself. Most western medical professionals have expressed either doubt or indifference to the oriental method while others have downright driven it down into the earth with criticisms and brutal skepticism. However, recent research shows the efficacy (or lack thereof) of acupuncture, and while more research has to be done, it has been proven to actually positively affect some, but not all, forms of ailments that it claims to cure.
So as the doors open to a new age of acupuncture, give it a try when you feel the need for pain relief and you will not be disappointed. As the Chinese have used it for many centuries, so should we.