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Acupuncture has been practised in China for around
2,500 years and has become one of the most widely used alternative therapies by
western health practitioners.
Acupuncture is based on the meridian theory, or channels, of energy; Yin (water,
cold and stillness) and Yang (fire, heat and movement). It was not until
the late seventeenth century that the western civilisation first learned of
acupuncture from the Jesuit Missionaries. In Europe acupuncture became widely
practised by the medical profession during the first half of the nineteenth
century.
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The therapist views the meridian energy channels
like rivers that flow along the body, supplying energy to all the muscles and
organs. Also, along these channels are Acupuncture points. Acu points are said
to cover the body and are grouped into the various meridians which represent the
energetic balance of each of the main body organs. Qi, (also known as vital
energy), is believed to flow through these meridians and illness is thought to
be reflected in an imbalance of this flow. The 14 meridians are: Heart,
Pericardium, Stomach, Liver, Gall Bladder, Urinary Bladder, Spleen, Tripple
warmer, Small intestine, Large Intestine, Governing Vessels, CV. It is these
points that the acupuncture practitioner is manipulating to achieve the desired
affect. No point on its own is thought to have any therapeutic properties;
rather it is the combination of points that produces the desired effects. The
modern theory of Acupuncture states that by stimulation of acu points the
endorphin is released, which acts on different organs and functions of the body.
Acupuncture involves the gentle insertion of very fine needles into these
acupoints, around the body to stimulate the flow of your Qi and bring Yin and
Yang back into balance. It is a relatively painless procedure and the sensation
is usually dull, tingly or slightly warm. It can be used for a wide variety of
conditions, particularly the treatment of pain. It has also been used to help
withdrawal and addiction, from tobacco, alcohol and hard drugs with a good rate
of success.
Presently, the Acupuncture is so advanced that even the surgery and delivery are
being conducted with the help of this system.
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