Skin disinfection

[quote:af764df53e="Course C"]Skin disinfection
The area on the body surface selected for needling must be sterilized. Generally, points on the local area must be sterilized with 75% alcohol, or first with 2.5% iodine and then it is removed by a 70% alcohol cotton ball. If the disinfected area is accidentally polluted, it is imperative to repeat the sterilization. [/quote:af764df53e] Sorry to mentioned that, but the term [i:af764df53e]sterilization[/i:af764df53e] here is incorrect, as a few seconds of exposure to alcohol before it evaporates from the skin surface is not able to kill all bacteria and viruses, especially those in the ducts, glands and follicles below the skin surface, and not truly sterilises the skin. Mainly, this type of skin preparation would result in mechanical cleaning of the skin surface, and should be termed disinfection, [i:af764df53e]as the title of the section correctly indicates[/i:af764df53e]. Also, it depends on the current legislation and accepted practice in your area whether to use or not to use this procedure. Of course, if you treat a Bushman who has not taken bath or shower for months and whose skin looks dirty, you might prefer to use skin disinfection, and that with iodine, but it is also a known fact that many hospitals throughout Europe have abandoned disinfecting skin before performing injections and acupuncture, as at present this practice is considered by many an unnecessary, albeit well-established ritual. (There was a large discussion about this published in [i:af764df53e]Acupuncture in Medicine[/i:af764df53e] and in [i:af764df53e]Acupuncture & Moxibustion[/i:af764df53e]. One of the articles, published by Dr. Johan Nguyen in [i:af764df53e]Acupuncture & Moxibustion[/i:af764df53e], was called, for instance, [i:af764df53e]La désinfection cutanée avant puncture: un rituel inutile[/i:af764df53e] [[i:af764df53e]Skin disinfection before needling: a useless ritual[/i:af764df53e]] ).

---------------------------------

Sergiy

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 7:41 am    

Yes, skin cannot sterilized!

Disinfection is a much more suitable word.

Or sterile technique can also be right.

------------------------------

David King

Posted: Sat Oct 21, 2006 8:04 pm    

[quote:7a7aabe017="David King"]Disinfection is a much more suitable word.[/quote:7a7aabe017] We agree on this one.

Do you think skin disinfection before acupuncture is always necessary?

------------------------------

Sergiy

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 1:45 pm    

It all depends.

In China, in hospitals, if the acupuncture physicians don't do the skin disinfection before doing acupuncture, they will be fired!

But maybe in some other places, acupuncture could be done without skin disinfection, but that's not a common phenomenon.

------------------------------------

David King

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 10:14 pm