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Acupuncture
The Origin of Acupuncture The origin of Acupuncture varies from book to book, however it is agreed that it has been practiced in China for almost 2000 years. Whilst I am not an acupuncturist, I researched the subject extensively prior to undergoing a 12 week course of treatment for a lower back injury resulting from a car accident in October 2005. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese therapy involving the insertion of needles into the skin at specific points of the body. It is suggested that the word “Acupuncture” first originated from a Dutch physician William Ten Rhyne, who in the latter part of the 17th century had been living in and it was he who introduced it to Europe. The term acupuncture literally means prick with a needle. The earliest textbook on acupuncture dating from approximately 400BC, was called Nei Ching Su Wen, which means ‘yellow emperor’s classic of internal medicine’. At this time it was also recorded that the life of a patient was saved by using acupuncture, despite having been expected to die whilst in a coma. It is believed that acupuncture was developed when it was realised that soldiers who recovered from arrow wounds were sometimes also healed of other diseases from which they were also suffering. Acupuncture was very popular with the British doctors in the early 1800’s or pain relief and to treat fever. There was also a specific article on the successful treatment of rheumatism that appeared in ‘The Lancet’. Until the end of the Chinese dynasty in 1911, acupuncture was slowly developed and improved, but then medicine from the west increased in popularity. However more recently there has been a revival of interest and it is again widely practiced throughout China. Also, nowadays the use of laser beams and electrical currents is found to give an increased stimulative effect when using acupuncture needles. The specific points of the body into which the acupuncture needles are inserted are located along the ‘meridians’. These are the pathways or energy channels and are believed to be related to the internal organs of the body. This energy is known as qi and the needles are used to decrease or increase the flow of energy, or to unblock it if it is impeded. Tradition Chinese medicine sees the body as being composed of two forces known as the yin and yang. These two forces are complimentary to each other but also opposing, the yin being the female force and calm and passive and also representing the dark, cold swelling and moisture. The yang force is the male and is stimulating and aggressive, representing the heat and light, contraction and dryness. It is believed that the cause of ailments and diseases is caused to an imbalance of these forces in the body, e.g. if the person is suffering from a headache or hypertension then this is because of an excess of yang. If however there is an excess of yin, this might result in tiredness, feeling cold and fluid retention.
The Symbol Of yin/yang
The aim of acupuncture is to establish whether there is an imbalance of yin and yang and to rectify it by using the needles at certain points of the body. Traditionally there were 365 points but more have been found in the intervening period and nowadays there can be as many as 2,000. There are 14 meridians called after the organs they represent e.g. the lung, kidney heart and stomach as well as two organs unknown in orthodox medicine - the triple heater or warmer, which relates to the activity of the endocrine glands and the control of temperature. In addition, the pericardium is concerned with seasonal activity and also regulates the circulation of the blood. Of the 14 meridians, there are two known as du, or governor, and the ren, or conception, which both run up the body’s midline, although the du is much shorter, extending from the head down to the mouth, while the ren starts at the chin and extends to the base of the trunk.
A typical chart showing the meridians and points on the human body There are several factors that change the flow of qi (also known as shi or ch’i) and they can be of an emotional, physical or environmental nature. The flow may be changed to become too slow or fast, or it can be diverted or blocked so that the incorrect organ is involved and the acupuncturist has to ensure that the flow returns to normal. There are many painful afflictions for which acupuncture can be used. In the west, it has primarily been used for Rheumatism, back pain and arthritis, but it has also been used to alleviate other disorders such as stress, allergy, colitis digestive troubles, insomnia and asthma etc. It has been claimed that withdrawal symptoms from smoking and other such addictions have been helped as well. Qualified Acupuncturists complete a training course of three years duration and also need qualifications in the related disciplines of anatomy, pathology, physiology and diagnosis before they can belong to a professional association. It is very important that a fully qualified acupuncturist, who is member of the relevant professional body, is consulted because at the present time, any unqualified person can use the title ‘Acupuncturist’. Further Reading:
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