What Is Acupuncture?

What is acupuncture? It is a form of holistic healthcare used to prevent and treat certain diseases, relieve pain, and anesthetize patients for surgery. Research shows that this began in China and has been practiced for more than 5,000 years.

The earliest account of this is found in the book called Nei Jing which in English means the Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine. The contents of this book date somewhere around 200 BC. Back then, they did not use metal needles and instead used those made out of stone, moxibustion, and herbs to treat a patient.

Acupuncture prevents and treats diseases by inserting very fine needles into the skin specifically at the anatomic points of the body.

The principle behind this concept is that illnesses occur because there is an imbalance in your life force otherwise known as Qi. It is believed that this flows in 14 channels in the human body known as meridians which branch out to bodily organs and functions. If there is a blockage or obstruction in any of them, this is when you succumb to a disease or an illness.

The imbalance in the Qi may go one way or the other because of Yin and Yang. The person can only be normal if there is harmony between the two which is what acupuncture is trying to achieve. This can only be restored by stimulating these acupuncture points so your Qi can be adjusted, balanced, and harmonized.

Apart from using needles, practitioners also use friction, heat, impulses of electromagnetic energy, and pressure to stimulate these points to balance the movement of energy in the body to reduce one’s health.

An example is sonopuncture where an ultrasound device that transmits sound waves is applied to these points in the body. Some use a tuning fork and other vibration devices.

Acupressure is another example and here, the fingers are used to relieve the pain. This can be used by itself or with other manual healing techniques.

Impulses of electromagnetic energy are used because our bodies generate tiny but electrical discharges which influence the function, growth, and maturity of certain types of cells. By inserting the needles in these areas, it stimulates and alters the neurotransmitters in the body thus making the patient feel better after treatment. This is also sometimes used for diagnosis and testing.

According to the World Health Organization or WHO, here is a list of some illnesses where acupuncture is used. These include acute bronchitis, the common cold, cataracts, toothaches, gingivitis, hiccups, ulcers, constipation, diarrhea, headache and migraine, Meniere’s disease, osteoarthritis, and a lot more. In the US, acupuncture is often used to treat chronic pain conditions and mind-body disorders.

But acupuncture is not risk-free. Hematoma may develop if the needle punctures a circulatory structure. It is also possible that pneumothorax may occur if the needle is inserted too deep. There is also the risk of HIV and hepatitis if the needle is not properly sterilized.

Now that you know what acupuncture is, you must not forget that it is merely an alternative and not a proper form of medical treatment. This means you should still be examined by a professional in the medical field who can determine the severity of your illness or disease.

Why Acupuncture is a Great Alternative Therapy

Whether you want to believe it or not, millions of people located all around the world engage in the practice of the alternative therapy of acupuncture every day. There are many reasons to practice this alternative therapy that the Chinese instituted, too, but the best reason of all is that it has been found to work. On the same side of the coin, though, there are many reasons why acupuncture is a great alternative therapy. Here are some of the arguments for why acupuncture is so great throughout the whole world:

The Mystery

One of the reasons that many people consider acupuncture therapy to be such a great and revolutionary therapy is the mystery behind the whole concept. Let's face it: the idea that ancient civilizations in the Far East used this type of therapy to be able to cure the sick, help with many different illnesses across the board, and use it as a trade item is just downright weird and mysterious. Furthermore, why would the civilization that started it all want to take this alternative therapy to other lands, including the United States? There could have been great profits by allowing only the Chinese to experience the benefits of acupuncture, but now everyone throughout the world can experience them. Indeed, the mystery behind some of the questions and origins of acupuncture therapy truly contribute to how amazing the therapy of acupuncture is.

The Benefits

This was touched on a little bit, but acupuncture has a great deal of benefits that can be seen and researched by those who are intrigued. Some of the common ailments that are able to be treated with acupuncture therapy successfully include the bacterial common cold, influenza, cholera, constipation, diarrhea, Depression, arthritis, ear aches, headaches, hernias, hemorrhages, as well as a whole host of other illnesses, disorders, and other diseases that haven't yet been named. In addition, many cancers may also be able to be healed through the use of great acupuncture therapy! But so many diseases and disorders have yet to be studied whether or not they are truly helped by acupuncture!

Break From Traditional Values

One other reason that many people consider acupuncture to be one of the best alternative medicines is that it is a chance to break free from the traditional values of our culture at least for a little while. While the American culture tends to shun anything new that is also unknown and cannot be studied scientifically, acupuncture therapy definitely cannot and has not been studied scientifically yet. The many benefits of acupuncture have not even been tapped yet since no one knows exactly what goes on in the body!

All in all, though, acupuncture is an awesome therapy that must be practiced to be kept throughout the ages. Even though there are plenty of skeptics around, the number of believers in acupuncture continues growing daily!

Tina Rose

Instagram

Empowerment & Transformation Academy