What is Acupuncture?
Many of you may be curious about acupuncture, maybe a friend told you about it, or maybe your doctor mentioned it to you. You have gotten over the hump of just wondering and are starting to do some research about it, you may be thinking “acupuncture looks cool, or interesting, or strange.” Maybe you have had thoughts of-- “how can putting needles in my body help me and will it hurt?” All valid questions, and let’s start with the basics--what is acupuncture really
Acupuncture Promotes Healing
Acupuncture is the insertion of sterilized, hair thin needles at different points in the body that promote healing. It is just one modality of Chinese Medicine, and it is a holistic approach to the body rooted in the belief that the things we observe in the outside world (ie: weather patterns, geographical landmarks) can be used to explain the inner workings of our body.
Acupuncture works by using the following as basic laws:
Our bodies are not separate from nature
We always are striving for a balance of yin and yang
The mind and body are not separate
To truly heal, you must treat the root of the problem instead of just the branch.
How Acupuncture Works - According to Chinese Medicine
In Chinese medicine we each have these things called meridians and each meridian relates to an organ system in our body. These meridians run along our extremities and into the core of the body, some run along fascia lines, some run along nerves, and some follow the musculature. These meridians can be likened to lakes, rivers, oceans, and streams throughout our body. Just like on Earth, our body has its own system of rivers, or “channels,” filled with a vital substance called “qi.” Qi is in charge of all the functional aspects of our body. When this qi overflows from our channels, gets dammed up (stuck), and/or dried up, we experience pain and disease. Acupuncture releases these blockages, or replenishes/reduces the qi where needed to restore ideal balance to the body, thus allowing it to heal itself. There are many, over 300, acupuncture points along these channels in the body. And so, acupuncture utilizes sterilized hair-thin needles to stimulate these points on the body to reduce pain, increase energy, induce relaxation, and to heal what ails you.
How Acupuncture Works - According to Western Science
Once these points are activated with the thin needles, what happens from there is still not completely known. Western medicine can’t explain how acupuncture works or the pathophysiology behind it yet, they just know that it does. There are many theories on how acupuncture works:
We have seen that acupuncture causes a release of different types of endorphins which can help decrease pain.
It can release muscle trigger points or motor points reducing stiff muscles and increasing mobility.
It can decrease pesky pain in joints by causing microtears in the skin that cause the immune system to respond and pay attention to those areas.
Another theory is that because fascia runs along every muscle, every organ in the body, and has its own communication system, by inserting acupuncture needles into the fascia it is able to send messages with the help of collagen from opposite ends of the body to create healing.
Creates micro-injury which increases blood flow and can decrease pain.
Regulates the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system
The Benefits of Acupuncture
With increasing popularity and access via insurance coverage, those of you who have never tried acupuncture might be curious to know how it can improve your health. Whether you’re looking for more preventative care, maintenance care, or corrective care, acupuncture is an incredibly safe therapy with a wide variety of benefits.