What is Acupuncture and How Does it Work?

Acupuncture is a type of alternative therapy that got its start in China and has been used for centuries.

As a form of natural healing, acupuncture has been part of the Chinese culture for over 2,000 years. It is finding its way into western society more and more all of the time. While acupuncture is not generally used to replace Western medicine, it can often work as a complement to it.

Acupuncture Restores Balance

The Chinese believe that imbalances in the body are a result of an imbalance of vital energy known as “chi”. This energy is believed to circulate throughout meridians in the body which are invisible energy lines. It is the belief of the Chinese that the body is made up of 12 meridians and each one is connected to different organs. When an imbalance occurs to chi, that is when disease and sickness arises.

In order to restore the balance and harmony of energy back to normal, you can visit a qualified acupuncturist who will insert fine needles into the relevant points along the meridian lines that relate to the problem you are experiencing. There are approximately 1,000 acupuncture points on the human body that can be utilized for this purpose.

The Purpose of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is very strange in the way it is administered but if it does what it was meant to do, does it really make that much difference? The purpose behind it is to restore one’s health to a positive state and to lessen pain and discomfort. In particular, acupuncture has shown a tremendous amount of promise in helping chronic pain sufferers, such as those who suffer from osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. It has also shown promise for cancer patients and for those who suffer with fertility issues.

Theories about How Acupuncture Works

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), an estimated $500 million is spent on a yearly basis by people seeking acupuncture treatments to help what ails them. Acupuncture is one of the most well known of all of the natural healing therapies.

How acupuncture works however remains somewhat of a mystery. There have been a variety of theories put forth to explain its success at relieving pain. For example, some researchers theorize that acupuncture manages to stimulate the release of endorphins in the brain which then counteracts pain. Others think along the same lines but believe that neurotransmitters are release during treatments, thus sending nerve impulses to the brain.

Some individuals believe that acupuncture affects the electrical currents in the body which then facilitate healing. Two other common theories are that the insertion of needles along the meridians stimulate circulation or that acupuncture impacts the autonomic nervous system.

Which theory is correct is not known but studies have shown that acupuncture can help to alleviate certain types of pain. Enough said?

Many people are frightened off by the thought of needles because they think that acupuncture is a painful form of therapy. While you may feel a slight sting to your skin when the needle is first inserted, once it is in the discomfort will be no more. In fact most acupuncture patients describe the treatments as being relaxing, peaceful or calming.

If it helps your pain, even if it seems a little unusual, acupuncture is worth a try. Wouldn’t you agree?

Samantha