If you ever feel lethargic and unmotivated or maybe the opposite of being perpetually anxious, stressed and on the go, researchers of acupuncture and Chinese medicine would simply shake their heads and offer you a spot in an acupuncture clinic. This is where the practice of using needles to stimulate certain acupuncture points is used to provide relief for all sorts of ailments from headaches to alcoholism.
For years, psychologists have scratched their heads about mind over matter, but the proof is in the pudding and for numerous folks around the world, acupuncture works full stop!
Fundamentals of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine
The philosophy behind acupuncture and Chinese medicine is based around Dao, sometimes referred to as Taoism. The natural laws promote moderation, balance and harmony with our environment.
The three treasures that fuel us are:
- Qi – Energy
- Shen – The spirit
- Jing – Our Essence
Qi manifests itself in the heart, lungs and oxygen circulating in the blood.
Shen expresses itself as personality, thought, perception and self-reflexivity.
The Jing is sort of like genetics, growth, development and reproduction.
Another Chinese theory is called the “Electrical” theory, which says that the body is always discharging slight magnetic energy and that Chinese acupuncture actually works by manipulating the body’s electromagnetic fields, altering chemical neurotransmitters in the process.
In 1999, British doctors found that collagen was a good conductor of electricity — and Dr. Mae Won Ho concluded that “the kind of conducting water channels that more or less follow the collagen fibres may correspond to the so-called meridians of the acupuncture channels. So when you put a needle in you are giving a local electrical stimulation which then enables this positive electricity to be conducted to some distant sites.”
Benefits of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine
A person’s reaction to acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine is purely personal. Some folks feel minimal to no pain as the needles go in, while others might feel sore. Chinese acupuncture invigorates some patients and calms others.
Cancer patients undergoing chemo have started turning to acupuncture and Oriental medicine to cure negative side effects such as nausea or headaches. Hard to cure problems like osteoarthritis, asthma, drug addiction and fibromyalgia chronic pain have all been treated with acupuncture or Chinese herbal supplements in the past.
Regardless of how it works, acupuncture and Chinese medicine is a safer, less expensive alternative to visiting your general practitioner and local pharmacist, even with Western health insurance plans covering prescription medicines.