"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly."
-Siddhartha Gautama
Useful Links
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the stimulation of very specific points on the body to bring the body and emotions
into a more perfect homeostasis and harmony. Needles are one way the acupoints can be stimulated,
but acupressure (shiatsu, tui na), cupping, moxibustion, heat lamps, and magnet therapies are also
commonly used.
Acupuncture can treat a wide variety of health and psychological imbalances. While it is often
thought of as a treatment specifically for pain, it is much more than that. For a partial list
of conditions treated please see the FAQ.
How does Acupuncture work? There is not a simple answer for this. Here are two ways it might
work. The first is the traditional Chinese explanation which most acupuncturists themselves
believe. The second is a view held by some medical doctors and places acupuncture in the realm
of modern medical science.
The Traditional Chinese View
A central belief in traditional East Asian culture is the concept of Qi "chee" which can be
translated as "vital or life energy". Traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture, tui na massage,
herbal medicine, and qi gong) is based on the idea that Qi flows in and around the body through
pathways called meridians. When the flow of Qi is blocked, imbalances and the possibility for a
diseased state might result. Acupuncture helps to remove these blockages thereby helping the
body to heal itself and prevent future, more serious illnesses from developing.
A Modern Medical View
Acupuncture causes physiological reactions at the local, regional, and global level. The local
reaction stimulates substances such as histamine and serotonin. Another local effect is the
relaxation of muscular trigger points. Deactivating trigger points is one way that stops
referred muscular pain.
The regional reaction to the insertion of a needle works on the spinal cord level and its
ability to block pain signals.
The global level reactions are what happen in the brain. A "rewiring" of the central nervous
system occurs. Acupuncture point stimulation affects bodily phenomena such as heart and breathing
rhythms, the level of consciousness, temperature regulation, sensory functions and more. The whole
body's internal homeostasis is affected.
Further Reading
The above explanations are meant to be a starting point in explaining acupuncture. For more
detail please consult the following links:
For a short but detailed explanation please refer to this
EmedicineHealth link.
For a long and very technical explanation please refer to an article by an M.D.
Neuroscience, Neurophysiology,
and Acupuncture. If this link is not available,
a
word document can be downloaded here