Before we begin a discussion about the benefits of acupuncture, let’s talk about the origins of acupuncture.

It was first used in China over 2000 years ago, and is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world. It is a family of procedures that stimulates the anatomy of the body and helps to balance the energy flow throughout the body. It is this kind of acupuncture that is practiced in the United Sates today, through the use of tiny, metallic needles placed in affected areas and manipulated by hand or by electrical stimulation.

Acupuncture is the basic foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine and is based on the belief that there are two opposing and inseparable forces within our body. They are known as the Yin and Yang of the entire person. The Yin is representative of the cold, slow, or passive principle, and yang represents the hot, excited or active principle.

A healthy state is achieved by maintaining a balance state of the yin and yang. This is done through vital pathways or meridians that allow for the flow of qi, or vital energy. The vital energy flow occurs along pathways known as meridians. These meridians connect over 2,000 acupuncture points along the body. There are 12 main meridians, and 8 secondary meridians.

Although traditional western medicine does not completely understand how acupuncture works, the proof that it does work has been shown in several studies conducted by western medical facilities. Now, let’s move to the question of does it work? According to the National Institute of Health, the answer would be yes. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in many areas of health care.

Areas such as postoperative nausea, chemotherapy side effects, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, headache, menstrual cramps, addiction, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, just to name a few. The study revealed that acupuncture was able to provide pain relief, improve function and mobility of joints due to arthritis inflammation, and served to complement standard care.

Although there are many who would doubt the effectiveness of acupuncture, once they are a patient, they are believers. It has been proposed that acupuncture works and produces its effects through regulating the nervous system. The theory proposes that since acupuncture produces its effect through regulation of the nervous system, it induces the release of endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites on the body.

There is also the theory that acupuncture alters the brain chemistry by the changing the neurotransmitters in the brain. Without doubt acupuncture was a benefit in the study, and as a patient myself, I can vouch for the wonderful effect it has had on my back. Although acupuncture is classified as an alternative medicine therapy, and there is still much to be understood about the way it works, it is a proven aid in maintaining optimal health. But what about the well individual, can acupuncture provide a benefit to them? Absolutely. Because acupuncture works off the belief that we must maintain balance of our vital energy flow in order to remain healthy, acupuncture serves as the tool for realignment.

Our vital energy flow can be out of balance, and we still feel and appear quite healthy. It is in this capacity that acupuncture serves as a sort of preventive medicine. Checking and balancing the flow of energy on the meridian points in your body is like your car receiving a tune-up before it is in need of a repair.

Acupuncture is here for long time. Its authenticity is still a debatable issue. But the recent study that the acupuncture can dramatically lower blood pressure. According to this study, when low level of electrical stimulation was given at specific points on the front legs of rats lower the elevation in blood pressure.

This study provides a setting stage for large-scale trails on humans and another option for healthcare practitioner treating high blood pressure patients. This study proves that acupuncture can be an excellent complements to other medical treatments, especially those treating high blood pressure problems.

This study cans convince the so far unconvinced Weston world that acupuncture can also lower blood pressure. This research will ultimately integrate acupuncture healing into medical treatments for lowering the blood pressure. Team of researchers performed both manual and electro acupuncture.

All the activities in both manual and electro acupuncture were performed. They used all the methods available and also changed the variables. Results of both manual and electro acupuncture showed immediate and prolonged lowering of cardiovascular blood pressure. However blood pressure remains lower for 10 minutes longer with electro acupuncture. Results in electro acupuncture are achieved normally with lower frequency.

Result ranges between 44 and 39 {451cb9bdd6b9e2862e15979076b10dd5b792f4772bfb4b679a32dd47787626d3} respectively. Combined stimulation of both the sets has caused no extra additive effect on the lowering of blood pressure. Acupuncture is available with many variable techniques; therefore this study provides a greater opportunity to understand the different type of acupuncture techniques.

Acupuncture treatment is found to successful on only patients with hypertension (high blood pressure) and has no effect on the healthy patient. Goal of this study is to establish a standard of acupuncture treatment that can benefit everyone, who has high blood pressure and other cardiac ailments. Therefore acupuncture has established itself for being able to lower blood pressure. Thus acupuncture provides a big hope in the treatment of patients with cardiac disorders.

How did acupuncture start?

The story was met with widespread disbelief. During a visit to China in 1978, cardiologist Doctor Isadore Rosenfeld witnessed open-heart surgery on a patient, anaesthetised only with acupuncture. A major operation and the patient was awake! Nothing like it had ever been seen before in the west.

But acupuncture is over 5000 years old. There is evidence that it was practiced by the ancient Egyptians. South African tribesmen scratched their bodies to cure disease and the Eskimos used a simple form of acupuncture. In ancient China the Yellow Emperor’s bible on internal medicine talks about the importance of acupuncture for curing disease and restoring health.

Today, in China and Taiwan there are over 232,000 traditional Chinese medical doctors practicing acupuncture. In America there are more than 8000 qualified acupuncturists, 16 acupuncture schools and 2 medical schools teaching acupuncture. As a treatment it’s accepted and practiced worldwide.

What ailments can acupuncture treat?

Many people assume that acupuncture is used as a simple pain control technique. A technique where needles are inserted to interrupt the nerve pathways that send pain messages to the brain. But acupuncture is much more than this. It’s designed to treat any malady and works to balance the energy of your entire body.

Based on clinical experience, it’s known that acupuncture can treat a variety of respiratory, eye and mouth, gastro-intestinal, neurological and muscular disorders. It’s especially effective on headaches, migraine and back pain. Acupuncture is also used to stop smoking, lose weight, lower blood pressure, relive constipation, anxiety, insomnia, allergies, asthma and alleviate skin disorders.

How can it treat all these ailments?

It works by ‘unblocking’ and balancing your energy ‘circuits’. And unlike conventional drugs, there are only beneficial side-effects such as sleeping better, more energy, deeper breathing and many other bonuses.

How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture means ‘to puncture with a needle’. Fine, flexible needles, about the diameter of a human hair, are inserted into points along the principal meridians of your body. Your body has a network of energy channels or ‘meridians’ in which your ‘ki’ flows. Each meridian is associated with a physiological system and internal organ.

There are 12 principal meridians that run the length of your body and each one has more than 350 acupuncture points. Acupuncture points are specific locations along the meridians. Inserting a needle into a point will ‘unblock’ or stimulate the energy flow through the meridian in a very predictable and measured way.

What happens during a treatment session?

Acupuncture is all part of the philosophy and practice of TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine, which uses an intricate system of pulse and tongue diagnosis. A qualified acupuncturist will also check the ‘palpation’ of the acupuncture points or meridians, your medical history and any other signs or symptoms of disorder.

The treatment is painless and insertion of the needles can feel like an insect bite or tiny prick. If you are sensitive you will feel warmth or energy flow and is often described as a ‘buzz’. Sometimes moxibustion is used to increase the heat effect at the insertion point. A Chinese herb, ‘Moxa’, is placed on the needle and lit. This can stimulate the blood flow as well as the ‘chi’.

Is acupuncture safe?

Nobody can predict the changes that will occur. Your body will do what it needs to do to heal itself. But the healing process starts with skilful diagnosis and the correct stimulation of precise acupuncture points. Acupuncture will often compliment traditional western medicine, and in the hands of a trained and properly qualified acupuncturist, you are perfectly safe. And for many people it is enjoyable too. Although the Chinese may have enjoyed the benefits of acupuncture for many centuries, the legacy of discoveries by men such as Dr Isadore Rosenfeld means we can all benefit from this wonderful treatment.