Acupuncture
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Acupuncture is an integral therapy used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Acupuncture is more than 5000 years old, making it the oldest and most widely practiced form of medicine available. The ancient Chinese believed, as proponents of acupuncture do today, that the life energy, called Qi or Chi (chee), flows through the body along major channels called meridians. When Chi is balanced, the body is in a state of health. When the amount, flow, or balance of Chi becomes blocked, misdirected or otherwise disturbed, pain, dysfunction, and ill health can result.
The body, its various systems, and its energy are viewed holistically in acupuncture. The whole body is treated rather than just isolated symptoms or conditions. The goal of acupuncture is to relieve symptoms, strengthen the immune system and integrate the proper function of all organs and systems of the body to achieve total health. In order to achieve these objectives, acupuncture involves the use of hair-thin, metallic, solid needles inserted into specific acupoints, of which there are more than 2,000 in the human body.
People experience acupuncture differently. When acupuncture is performed properly, most people feel no or very little sensation as the needles are inserted into carefully mapped acupoints. FDA-approved acupuncture needles come in sterile packaging, typically for one time use only. When acupuncture is not performed properly, some adverse effects can occur, including infection and organ damage. When acupuncture is performed properly, there is very little risk of adverse effects.
Acupuncture has been studied by western medical experts in order to determine its benefits in treating a variety of ailments. While western doctors may not believe that the body contains Chi energy or life force, they do provide a different explanation for acupuncture's benefits. Many of the meridians and acupoints targeted through acupuncture run along major nerve points in the body. Some western doctors believe that acupuncture activates these nerves to causing a series of reactions within the central nervous system related to sensation and body function. These reactions can facilitate an immune response, changes in brain chemistry, blood pressure, blood flow, body temperature, and more.
According to the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, dozens of conditions can be effectively treated through acupuncture. The following are just a few of the conditions acupuncture may treat: acute and chronic pain (though regarded as a symptom, not a condition in Chinese medicine), allergies, cancer-treatment related side effects, muscle spasms, anxiety, arthritis, some gastrointestinal disorders, urinary incontinence, anorexia, insomnia, and more.
If you are interested in learning more about acupuncture, it is important to locate a licensed and credentialed acupuncturist. Today, at least 40 states have created training standards for certification and provide information to consumers about the requirements in their state. Insurance companies are also beginning to recognize the benefits of acupuncture and include this alternative therapy in patient health plans.
