Where did acupuncture originate?

 

Acupuncture originated in ancient China and has been used in medical practice for thousands of years.  Europe began using acupuncture several hundred years ago, and since then it has gained popularity and respect worldwide.  Recently it has been recognized as a valid medical modality in the United States, Canada, and Europe. 

 

What is it?

 

Acupuncture is one entity of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).  It encompasses a wide variety of techniques used to treat illness in the body.  The practice of acupuncture involves diagnosing the client based on a patient questionnaire, inspecting the patient’s tongue, and taking their pulses at different physical locations.  Once a diagnosis is made the clinician inserts tiny needles into precise points on the body in order to promote health and balance in the body.

 

What is the theory behind acupuncture?

 

TCM theory is based on meridians that run throughout the body.  Qi, or our vital life force, runs along these meridians and acupuncture points are located on these meridians.  There are a total of 360 acupuncture points associated with the meridians, however, there are extra points and auricular points that are commonly used in the practice of acupuncture. 

 

The most important concept in TCM is that health lies in the balance of yin and yang as well as the free flow of blood and qi.  When illness manifests in a person it is because there is a blockage to the flow of qi and blood.  Through inserting needles in specific combinations of points, health can begin to be restored by moving qi and blood, and balancing energy in the body.

 

Recently acupuncture has gained the respect of western medicine due to research that has proven acupuncture to be effective in certain conditions.  Western medical doctors and researchers view the acupuncture points as locations where fascia, muscles, nerves, connective tissues, and physiological processes can be stimulated in order to facilitate the release of the body's own natural painkillers.  In regards to facial acupuncture, when the needles are inserted they cause micro-traumas to the dermal layer of the skin which then stimulates the formation of collagen and elastin, the two main proteins found in the skin.

 

What to expect during a treatment

 

  • The treatment will begin with a brief intake which consists of the practioner interviewing the patient followed by inspecting the tongue and taking the patients pulses (in TCM pulses are taken on both the left and right wrists and correspond to organs in the body). After analyzing all of the information the practitioner will then make a diagnosis in both Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine.

 

  • The patient will then be instructed to either lay face up, face down, or on his/her side depending on which points have been chosen for the treatment protocol.

 

  • The acupuncturist will clean the points chosen for the treatment with alcohol and then inserts single use, disposable, sterile needles into the prescribed points. The needles are inserted at varying depths depending on the anatomical location and the condition that is being treated. Generally there is very little to no pain associated with the insertion of the needles, however, some patients are more sensitive than others. When the needles are inserted the patient should experience what practitioners call “Da Qi” which translates to “the arrival of qi”. This manifests in many sensations including tingling, numbness, pressure, aching and/or itching. Once the needles have been inserted the patient then rests for 15-30 minutes.

 

  • Depending on the condition being treated, the needles may be heated with moxa (mugwort) and/or stimulated with E-Stim (an electrical current to encourage muscle fasciculation and relaxation).

 

  • At the end of the treatment the needles are removed and the practitioner and patient discuss the treatment, recommendations for home care, and the scheduling of a follow-up appointment, when necessary.

 

  • Occasionally minor bruising may occur after a treatment. This happens when tiny blood vessels are broken. They fade within a few days and are painless.

 

 

Often other modalities of TCM are implemented during a treatment.  These include Tui Na (a therapeutic Chinese massage), Gua Sha (a traditional Chinese medical treatment in which the skin is scraped to produce light bruising), cupping (a therapy in which heated glass cups are applied to the skin along the meridians of the body, creating suction as a way of stimulating the flow of energy), and/or the use of magnets.  The practitioner will decide which if any of the extra modalities will be used based on the diagnosis.

 

One of the most common reasons people seek acupuncture treatment is due to muscle pain.  Acupuncture is very effective at treating this condition and it helps many people who have found other treatment options ineffective.  Sometimes after a treatment, the muscle pain can actually increase and become worse for a few hours before improvement is noticed.  This is due to the release of lactic acid as well as muscle fatigue, however, there are things you can do to help prevent this from happening.  Your practitioner can talk to you about what to do if this occurs.

 

Who is a good candidate for acupuncture?

 

Acupuncture is an incredibly personalized diagnostic treatment and can therefore be beneficial for anyone.  Regardless of the western diagnosis, TCM is able to effectively treat the body’s underlying constitution.  By doing this, acupuncture creates a healthy mind and body by encouraging balance and alignment within the individual.  

 

The WHO, (World Health Organization), has a broad view of what disorders acupuncture can effectively treat.  In their official report: Acupuncture, Review and Analysis of Reports of Controlled Clinical Trials, they found through controlled clinical trials that acupuncture can effectively treat the following diseases, conditions, and symptoms:

 

▪ neck pain

▪ low back pain

▪ sciatica

▪ knee pain

▪ tennis elbow

▪ periarthritis of the shoulder

▪ sprains

▪ headache

▪ facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)

▪ tempromandibular (TMJ) dysfunction

▪ dental pain

▪ rheumatoid arthritis

▪ nausea and vomiting

▪ morning sickness

▪ correction of malposition of fetus (breech presentation)

▪ induction of labor

▪ postoperative pain

▪ stroke

▪ essential hypertension

▪ primary hypotension

▪ adverse reactions to radiation or chemotherapy

▪ leucopenia

▪ renal colic

▪ biliary colic

▪ acute bacillary dysentery

▪ acute epigastralgia

▪ acute and chronic gastritis

▪ peptic ulcer

▪ depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke)

▪ primary dysmenorrhea

▪ allergic rhinitis, including hay fever