About Acupuncture
Acupuncture is an ancient form of healing that uses the insertion of very thin needles in specific points on the body to balance the body’s vital energy called Qi (pronounced chi). It is one of the key components of Traditional Chinese Medicine and over 2,000 years old. Acupuncture originated in China and dates back to 6000 BCE when sharpened stones and long sharp bones were used to stimulate points before needles were invented. The earliest acupuncture textbook dates back to 305-204 BCE, written by Huang Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic). The Yellow Emperor’s Classic is a discussion on Chinese Medical Arts, and is divided into two parts. The latter part of the book,“Ling Shu” (translates as Miraculous Pivot or Spiritual Axis) focuses on acupuncture and the descriptions of channels,points, needling techniques, and Qi.
Acupuncture was introduced in America over 100 years ago, however the official arrival of acupuncture in the US is considered to have been in 1975 when the New England School of Acupuncture opened its doors in Boston. Decades later, there are over 10 million acupuncture treatments administered annually within the United States.
Other components that make up Traditional Chinese Medicine are Moxabustion, TuiNa (Chinese Medical Massage), and Chines Herbs, together with auxiliary healing modalities such as Electrical Stimulation, Cupping, and GuaSha. Acupuncture can be used by itself or in combination with one or more of the other modalities to balance the body’s Qi, promote relaxation, rid the body of pain, stress, disease and to restore health. It can also be used as a preventative measure to ensure that optimal health is maintained long term.
During an acupuncture treatment, sterile, single-use stainless steel needles are inserted into points on the patient’s body, which are part of an intricate network system of channels that is spread over the entire body. The goal of this process is to regulate the body’s flow of Qi. In Chinese Medicine, pain and disease equals stagnation (or the absence of the free flow of Qi). If there is an excess, blockage or stagnation, acupuncture needles can promote movement and remove blockage resulting in the free and smooth flow of Qi. If there is a deficiency, acupuncture can promote the flow of oxygen and nutrient rich blood and Qi to the deficient area restoring health and balance to the body. With each needle, acupuncture taps into the nervous system and brain waves to balance what is out of balance. Once the nervous system and brain waves are in harmony again, the body can function properly and heal itself.
Both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recognize acupuncture as an effective form of treatment for a large variety of conditions. In 2003 WHO published a report that reviewed controlled clinical trials on Acupuncture and released a list of conditions that acupuncture has been proven effective for some of these are listed below:
Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders
● Dizziness
● Earaches
● Facial pain
● Laryngitis
● Rhinitis
● Sinusitis
● Tinnitus (ear ringing)
● TMJ
Circulatory Disorders
● Angina Pectoris
● Arteriosclerosis
● Cold Hands and feet
● High cholesterol
● Hypertension
● Hypotension
Gastrointestinal Disorders
● Abdominal Pain
● Acid Regurgitation
● Biliary colic
● Colitis
● Constipation
● Dysentery
● Diarrhea
● Epigastralgia
● Food allergies
● GERD
● Indigestion
● Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
● Nausea and/or Vomiting
● Ulcers
Musculoskeletal Disorders
● Arthritis
● Auto-Immune Disorders
● Back Pain
● Carpal tunnel syndrome
● Dentistry related pain
● Fibromyalgia
● Frozen Shoulder
● Knee pain
● Neck pain
● Periarthritis of shoulder
● Postoperative pain
● Rheumatoid Arthritis
● Sciatica/Piriformis syndrome
● Sprain
● Tennis elbow
Psycho-Emotional and Neurologic Disorders
● Addiction
● Anxiety
● Bell’s Palsy
● Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
● Depression
● Headaches
● Insomnia
● Migraines
● Post-Stroke Paralysis
● Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
● Smoking Cessation
● Stress
● Trigeminal Neuralgia
Respiratory Disorders
● Allergies
● Asthma
● Bronchitis
● Colds and Flus
● Emphysema
Urogenital/
Gynecological Disorders
● Cystitis
● Dysmenorrhea (primary)
● Infertility
● Malposition of fetus
● Menopausal syndrome
● Menstrual irregularity
● Morning sickness
● Neurogenic Bladder
● PMS
● Prostatic Hypertrophy
● Prostatitis
● Renal Colic
● Stress Incontinence
Other
● Adverse reactions to 32Chemotherapy
● Adverse reactions to Radiotherapy
● Download pdf
● Acupuncture WHO full report.pdf