Acupuncture

Relax ~ Unwind ~ Let the Qi Flow

How Acupuncture works

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practice that originated in China over 5,000 years ago. It involves the insertion of thin, sterile needles into specific points on the body, known as acupoints, to promote healing and well-being.

There are two main perspectives on how acupuncture works: the traditional Chinese explanation and a modern scientific understanding. 

The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) explanation

TCM is founded on the belief that health is a result of a harmonious balance of vital energy, or Qi (pronounced "chee"), which flows through the body along specific pathways called meridians. 

  • Energy and balance: Illness and pain are believed to occur when the flow of Qi becomes blocked or imbalanced. This can be caused by various factors, such as stress, environmental conditions, and lifestyle.

  • Rebalancing Qi: Acupuncturists insert needles into specific acupoints along the meridians to unblock or redirect the flow of Qi. By restoring balance to the body's energy, they aim to promote healing and restore wellness. 

The modern scientific explanation

Western science views the acupoints as areas that can stimulate the central nervous system, which in turn influences various physiological processes. 

  • Nervous system stimulation: The insertion of fine needles stimulates nerves, muscles, and connective tissues. This triggers the release of natural pain-relieving substances, such as endorphins, into the brain, spinal cord, and muscles.

  • Chemical and hormonal release: This stimulation can also alter the release of neurotransmitters and neurohormones that affect nerve impulses and regulate bodily functions, including blood pressure, blood flow, and body temperature.

  • Biochemical balance: The improved biochemical balance created by acupuncture is believed to stimulate the body's natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.

  • Other effects: Research also suggests that acupuncture can increase local blood flow, reduce inflammation, and may even help reset pain perception in the brain. 

Acupuncture treats a wide variety of symptoms, conditions and diseases. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) lists the following symptoms, diseases and conditions that have been shown through controlled trials to be treated effectively by acupuncture.

  • Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy

  • Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever)

  • Biliary colic

  • Depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke)

  • Dysentery, acute bacillary

  • Dysmenorrhoea, primary

  • Epigastralgia, acute (in peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis, and gastrospasm)

  • Facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)

  • Headache

  • Hypertension, essential

  • Hypotension, primary

  • Induction of labour

  • Knee pain

  • Leukopenia

  • Low back pain

  • Malposition of fetus, correction of

  • Morning sickness

  • Nausea and vomiting

  • Neck pain

  • Pain in dentistry (including dental pain and temporomandibular dysfunction)

  • Periarthritis of shoulder

  • Postoperative pain

  • Renal colic

  • Rheumatoid arthritis   

  • Sciatica

  • Sprain

  • Stroke

  • Tennis elbow  

The WHO lists the following symptoms, diseases and conditions for which the therapeutic effect of acupuncture has been shown, but further proof is needed.

  • Abdominal pain (in acute gastroenteritis or due to gastrointestinal spasm)

  • Acne vulgaris

  • Alcohol dependence and detoxification

  • Bell’s palsy

  • Bronchial asthma

  • Cancer pain

  • Cardiac neurosis

  • Cholecystitis, chronic, with acute exacerbation

  • Cholelithiasis

  • Competition stress syndrome

  • Craniocerebral injury, closed

  • Diabetes mellitus, non-insulin-dependent

  • Earache

  • Epidemic haemorrhagic fever

  • Epistaxis, simple (without generalized or local disease)

  • Eye pain due to subconjunctival injection

  • Female infertility

  • Facial spasm

  • Female urethral syndrome

  • Fibromyalgia and fasciitis

  • Gastrokinetic disturbance

  • Gouty arthritis

  • Hepatitis B virus carrier status

  • Herpes zoster (human (alpha) herpesvirus 3)

  • Hyperlipaemia

  • Hypo-ovarianism

  • Insomnia

  • Labour pain

  • Lactation, deficiency

  • Male sexual dysfunction, non-organic

  • Ménière disease

  • Neuralgia, post-herpetic

  • Neurodermatitis

  • Obesity

  • Opium, cocaine and heroin dependence

  • Osteoarthritis

  • Pain due to endoscopic examination

  • Pain in thromboangiitis obliterans

  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (Stein–Leventhal syndrome)

  • Postextubation in children

  • Postoperative convalescence

  • Premenstrual syndrome

  • Prostatitis, chronic

  • Pruritus

  • Radicular and pseudoradicular pain syndrome

  • Raynaud syndrome, primary

  • Recurrent lower urinary-tract infection

  • Reflex sympathetic dystrophy

  • Retention of urine, traumatic

  • Schizophrenia

  • Sialism, drug-induced

  • Sjögren syndrome

  • Sore throat (including tonsillitis)

  • Spine pain, acute

  • Stiff neck

  • Temporomandibular joint dysfunction

  • Tietze syndrome

  • Tobacco dependence

  • Tourette syndrome

  • Ulcerative colitis, chronic

  • Urolithiasis

  • Vascular dementia​ 

  • Whooping cough (pertussis)

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