Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine. It is
based on the belief that the life force, Ch’i,
flows through the body along pathways on the
skin called ‘meridans’ or ‘channels’.
When one or more of these meridians is not
working properly, this interferes with the
proper function of the internal organs (e.g.
liver, spleen, kidney) and causes illness.
Unblocking
effected meridians, by inserting needles
and moving them with the fingers, is said
to balance the proper flow of chi and restore
health.
Symptoms
Western scientific
research has not been able to prove the
theories that lie behind traditional acupuncture.
However, although there is limited evidence
that acupuncture can have an effect on some
diseases and insertion of needles into the
body can have a powerful effect on some
symptoms, especially pain or nausea. This
may be because when acupuncture points are
needled, they release natural pain-killing
substances – the endorphins –
which are normally produced in the brain
by injury or stress.
However, symptoms
like pain or sickness can indicate that
something has gone wrong with the body,
so doctors want to find their cause before
trying to take these symptoms away.
Where symptoms
are the main problem – in conditions
like chronic pain, migraine, or irritable
bowel syndrome for instance – many
doctors think acupuncture treatment well
worth considering.
Acupuncture has a
reputation for helping people give up smoking
or avoid overeating, and there is now research
indicating that this is a possible form
of treatment. The effect of acupuncture
can be powerful and many people testify
that they have been helped in various ways
by it.
Scientists think acupuncture’s
proven effects are more than just placebo,
but nonetheless it would be a serious mistake
to believe that acupuncture can cure serious
diseases like cancer, tuberculosis, AIDS
or meningitis.
How it is
performed
Someone doing traditional
Chinese acupuncture will give you an initial
demonstration to show that it is not especially
painful. Different types of needle might
be used, but all are very thin and to avoid
the risk of carrying infection they should
be disposable and used once only. Acupuncturists
believe they can tell how well the organs
of the body are working by examining your
tongue and by feeling the qualities of pulses
at both wrists. In Traditional Chinese Acupuncture
diagnosis of the affected meridian is also
made by examining the 12 pulses.
Acupuncturists say
they can feel six on each wrist, and that
each one tells something about the health
of a particular organ (e.g. liver, kidney,
and heart). This decides where the needles
should be put.
Western acupuncture
is not based on these ideas and generally,
only one kind of needle is used.
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Acupuncture
