MEANINGS OF ACUPUNCTURE FROM THE PATIENT'S POINT OF VIEW

this is a descriptive, exploratory study with a qualitative approach, using the Symbolic Interactionism theoretical-methodological framework, carried out in a private acupuncture clinic located in Minas Gerais' Western Health Macroregion. The data was obtained through individual interviews, with a semi-structured script, drawn up based on the objectives and theoretical framework, consisting of a characterization of the research participants and guiding questions. The data was collected between April 2022 and January 2023 and analyzed using content analysis.

Results:

a total of 25 people were interviewed, the majority of whom were female and had undergone acupuncture for between 2 months and 10 years. After analysis, four categories related to the patient's view of acupuncture treatment were revealed: 1) Oriental technique with many benefits; 2) The health professional and acupuncture; 3) Acupuncture and other techniques; 4) The context of the search for acupuncture. In the light of symbolic interactionism, it was possible to understand that the meanings of acupuncture underwent changes during the care process and the influence of the professionals involved in providing health care.

Conclusion:

understanding the meanings of acupuncture in the patient's health is of paramount importance in order to value the symbolism of the technique for the patient and to use the care space as an environment for comprehensive care, education and promotion of health and quality of life.

DESCRIPTORS:
Acupuncture; Collective Health; Qualitative research; Symbolic Interactionism; Nursing

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Oriental technique that seeks to treat the body

I see it as a stimulation of strategic points in our body that will heal our body... Our emotions. Emotions, which is what's going to generate, right? That is causing a disease or a symptom (E5). When I'm doing acupuncture, I feel really good! And I feel this good energy coming in. What's suffocating me? It comes out. I can feel it all. This exchange of energy is beneficial to me, and I leave feeling calmer (E23). I've seen that acupuncture goes deep like this. It goes right to the cause, to what's causing the symptom I'm feeling. That's what I saw. So I really liked it (E8).

Acupuncture benefits

It's a really therapeutic, ancient oriental treatment? It has many benefits for us... In everything physical, mental... It brings healing and a lot of positive results (E20). My intestines were also very compromised and very dry. I would go five or seven days without going to the toilet. Acupuncture also brought me benefits in this sense because the acupuncturist worked on many points to stimulate the intestine and brought me a lot of improvement and positivity in this sense (E20).

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Professionals' atitude	Today, I also see that even people trained in medicine, in allopathic medicine, are turning their attention to integrative practices, right? Especially acupuncture, many doctors today are acupuncturists, aren't they? Many recommend herbal medicine. I've seen that, you know? Not many! But it's a group that's growing in this way (E1).
Influence of the professional on the technique's results	You see, it's not like just arriving, lying down and her putting some needles in you and that's it. No! She does everything. She sits you down. She asks how you're doing... if everything's OK at home. So she really welcomes you. I feel very comfortable (E12).
Acupuncture should have greater access	I think it should be a more widespread and valued method. I speak for myself! I was unaware of the effects and indications and I see that many of my colleagues don't believe in it because they're uninformed. I think that if this information were available, it would be better accepted and associated with the treatments we already have. Acupuncture has given me back my quality of life and enabled me to enjoy my pregnancy (E16).

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Types of acupuncture	Today I also see that there is an acupuncture technique without needles, right? It's acutonics, right? I've even had a few sessions. With a teacher of ours, which I thought was really cool (E1).
Acupuncture combined with other techniques	The sessions, the conversations with the professionals, were also talking about food, from the point of view of Chinese medicine, so, in fact, by associating acupuncture with food, I noticed an improvement in my quality of life, so to speak (E4).
Allopathy differs from acupuncture	[...] I see acupuncture as a totally alternative and natural medicine and I believe that it is possible to combine the two (allopathy and acupuncture), because there will always be some case where I won't be able to give up medication (E4).

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After failures with other therapies.

I had this pain in my back that I'd already been to several orthopedists for and nobody had figured out what it was. So I ended up with a stiff neck. I spent about 40 days with a problem with my neck. I couldn't turn my neck and from there I was referred to acupuncture. I even went, but at the time I didn't really believe it, because I'd already taken a lot of medication, done a lot of things and it didn't work. Then, to my surprise, in one session I came out of there turning my neck. So it was a big surprise for me. And I loved it. (E8).

Background to the search for acupuncture

I've been treating depression with a psychiatrist for many years and medication alone doesn't solve it. And acupuncture helps me to become more active. I think it's very worthwhile to combine the two (E2).

Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Programa de Pós Graduação em Enfermagem Campus Universitário Trindade, 88040-970 Florianópolis - Santa Catarina - Brasil, Tel.: (55 48) 3721-4915 / (55 48) 3721-9043 - Florianópolis - SC - Brazil
E-mail: textoecontexto@contato.ufsc.br

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[1] CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Bruna Teixeira Costa brunatcosta@yahoo.com.br