MORE IN ACUPUNCTURE

As one of the primary healing practices found under the umbrella of Chinese Medicine, acupuncture aims to maintain the unimpeded flow of vital energy or qi (“chee”). As universal life force, or spirit energy, qi is the essence of human health and the core of Chinese Medical theory. All sickness is rooted in stagnated qi and energizing its flow is an acupuncturist’s objective.

Qi is susceptible to imbalances in the opposing forces of yin and yang—too much of one or not enough of the other can impede the healthy flow of energy. After assessing a patient, individualized treatments are prescribed in an attempt to restore balance. Where western medicine associates symptoms with illness, and treats illness with prescription, Chinese Medicine treats each patient on a case-by-case basis. An acupuncturist works under the theory that every person has a unique pattern of imbalance.

Acupuncture’s famous skinny needles are quite different from a Western injection as they are usually painlessly inserted. Even those with an aversion to the typical needle can usually handle these thin, almost imperceptible insertions. Acupuncture needles are inserted at strategic points along the body’s meridians or energy channels in an effort to change the flow of energy—sending more or less where needed and releasing blockages. This is not typically a strenuous or stressful undertaking, although the patient may feel some sensation—brief pinching or burning—as the needles touch upon energetic blocks.

A note on herbs:

Acupuncture is almost always used in conjunction with herbal medicine. Once a patient has been diagnosed, an acupuncturist will usually prescribe a series of herbs to enhance the treatment. Chinese herbal therapy utilizes naturally derived plants and some animal products to treat energy imbalances. The average Chinese herb shop will carry hundreds of varieties. Magnolia, ginseng, honeysuckle, and mulberry leaves will be stored along with dried deer tail and gecko. Herbs are almost always ingested in formulas containing between four and 20 ingredients that are customized for the needs of each patient. The herbs can be taken in a less potent (and less stinky) pill form, ground into a powder, or freshly boiled into a powerful tea.

History

It is well known that acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice, but its exact date of origin is unclear—some historians trace it back 2,000 years, while others believe that it began over 4,000 years ago. Acupuncture’s introduction into western medical realms is better documented. The modality was first used on a Parisian patient in 1810, but it did not catch on with the American public until the 1970s when New York Times reporter James Reston received an acupuncture treatment after an emergency appendectomy in China. In the past twenty years acupuncture has attracted the attention of more and more Americans seeking alternative care. A 2002 National Health Interview survey found that approximately 2.1 million American adults had used acupuncture in the previous year and in 1997 the National Institute of Health (NIH) held the Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture and announced that the modality was being “widely” practiced for the relief and prevention of pain and other health conditions.

Controversy

Acupuncture seems to frustrate many in the conventional medical community primarily because science has yet to explain how exactly it works. Qi cannot be sensed or measured by current medical technology (and so American medicine as whole has yet to accept the concept); and unlike surgery or pharmaceutical drugs, acupuncture is a nuanced treatment that often takes time to bring about results. While there have been many studies on acupuncture’s effects and Western researchers have found notable changes in the brain during acupuncture, they are not sure why. As it is extremely difficult to implement placebos, researchers have been particularly challenged in studying the modality. Acupuncture also continues to be subject to medical controversy because patients have experienced medical complications that have resulted from inadequate sterilization of needles and from improper delivery of treatments. Use of traditional “medicines” like tiger bone and rhinoceros horn—staples of Traditional Chinese Medicine that have resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of animals—have also helped to feed those who doubt acupuncture’s efficacy.

External Links:

Wikipedia - Acupuncture

Acupuncture.edu

Acupuncture.com

The Journal of Chinese Medicine

Further Reading:

A Manual of Acupuncture

The Layman's Guide to Acupuncture

The Basis of Traditional Chinese Medicine