What is Acupuncture and How Does it Work?
The description of acupuncture, as one will find in most conventional Western medicine references or Google, provide limited, biased and even jaded information on the true concepts and scientific facts of what acupuncture is and how it works.
Much of what is available will state that acupuncture ‘may’ be helpful in limited conditions, is not based on research or is not scientific because it’s based on Qi (chi) energy that can’t be detected or quantified. In terms of Western medicine, if it can’t be measured or detected on a blood test, if it can’t be seen on imaging tests, if it doesn’t register on an EKG, NCV, doppler or ultrasound, then it doesn’t exist, and you don’t have a problem. This is one of many reasons why Western medicine is a 7 trillion dollar failed industry.
The origin of acupuncture goes back some 8,000 years. Within the foundations of Chinese medicine, which is a very comprehensive system, acupuncture is just one part of the holistic approach of restoring the body’s ability to heal and sustain optimal health. Among Chinese or functional medicine practitioners, they apply multiple approaches including, but not limited to acupuncture, herbal medicine, physical conditioning, stress, nutritional, and lifestyle counseling, all of which contribute and can be used to treat any imbalance / disease pattern within the system.
Since its inception, the reach of acupuncture has only increased with time, touching the lives of billions across many cultures of our entire world. The numbers of people helped, and lives saved continues to rise as people seek effective treatment in holistic healthcare. Taking into account the 8,000 years of successful outcomes of acupuncture compared to the failing, disease oriented medical model that began only a few hundred years ago, there’s no question that acupuncture should have a strong place in our ‘health’ care system. So, the questions should not address a lack of understanding, but they should simply ask, "how does it work"?
The application of acupuncture by itself is a means to restore balance or homeostasis to nerve and physiological systems of the body. The details of that process is not a simplistic and vague explanation about the flow of Qi energy throughout meridians of the body. In fact, that description is wholly inaccurate. Acupuncture produces an intricate yet comprehensive set of outcomes throughout the body’s physical and chemical makeup.
Without going into great detail, this description may help foster a better understanding of actual physiologic events taking place, contrary to any unscientific philosophies.
Applying a needle into the skin creates a microtrauma which produces a myriad of events throughout the entire body. There is a central and peripheral nervous system response, blood vessels dilate, sensory nerves are stimulated, endocrine glands elicit a cascade of chemical mediators, and then there are immune substances, hormones and neurotransmitters that are released into the bloodstream.
The precise locations of acupuncture points are found at unique anatomic locations where higher concentrations of capillary branches, nerve plexuses, lymphatic vessels and other tissues are oriented. This makes the acupuncture points extremely reactive to the needle insertions which will produce increased vasodilation, improved blood flow, muscle relaxation, pain reduction, stress relief, decreased inflammation and finally, returns homeostasis. Ultimately, acupuncture clears the way and optimizes the body's own ability to heal itself.
Once again, acupuncture is one tool of many within the scope of the holistic approach of alternative ‘health’ care. When combined with other means of restoring the physical, chemical and psychological parameters of the human condition, astounding results can be achieved.
