Medical Acupuncture

By Wenhui Qiao, OMD, LAc

Acupuncture promotes natural healing and improved functioning of the body. It involves inserting needles and applying heat or electrical stimulation at very precise acupuncture points.
The classical Chinese explanation for the efficacy of acupuncture is that channels of energy, called meridians, run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. The meridians are like rivers that flow through the body, irrigating and nourishing the tissues. Obstruction in the meridians are like dams that back up the flow of energy in one part of the body and restrict it in others.
The meridians can be influenced by needling the acupuncture points; the acupuncture needles unblock the obstructions at the dams, and reestablish a regular flow through the meridians. Acupuncture treatments can therefore help the bodys internal organs to correct imbalances in their digestion, absorption, and energy production activities, and in the circulation of their energy through the meridians.
The modern scientific explanation is that needling the acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals will either change the experience of pain, or they will trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones, which influence the bodys internal regulating system.
The improved energetic and biochemical balance produced by acupuncture stimulates the bodys natural healing abilities, and promotes physical and emotional well-being, while it can also be used to treat a variety of medical conditions.