Acupuncture

Encyclopedia of Medicine by Kathleen Dredge Wright

Definition

Acupuncture is a treatment in which special needles are inserted into points just under the skin to help correct and rebalance the flow of energy, which promotes pain relief and healing. Acupuncture is based on the belief that health is determined by maintaining a balanced flow of qi, (also referred to as chi), the vital life energy present in all living organisms.

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Qi circulates along 12 major energy pathways in the body, called meridians. Each is linked to specific organs and systems in the body. Within the meridian system there are over one thousand acupoints, which are specific anatomical locations on the skin that can be stimulated to control the flow of qi.

The word acupuncture comes from the Latin acus, for "needle", and puntura, "to puncture." This ancient Chinese therapy has been continuously refined over its 4,500 year history. Legend has it that acupuncture found its beginnings in the experience of an ancient soldier who, when struck by an arrow during battle, noted sensations of numbness far removed from the site of the wound.

Purpose

Millions of people have used acupuncture for a variety of health conditions. The treatment is often used in conjunction with more conventional methods and has gained wide acceptance. American acupuncture incorporates a variety of approaches to diagnosis and treatment that use medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries. Many scientific studies have confirmed its effectiveness. The most studied mechanism is the stimulation of acupuncture points using needles, which are manipulated manually or with electrical stimulation. Other stimulation techniques including pressure, heat, lasers, and moxibustion (the burning of an herb at or near certain sites on the body), are also used, but have not been the subject of many research studies. The World Health Organization lists more than 40 conditions for which acupuncture may be indicated. These include prevention and treatment of nausea, pain relief, treatment of addictions to alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, treatment of lung (pulmonary) problems such as asthma, and rehabilitation from damage to the nervous system such as that caused by a stroke.

Pain relief

Acupuncture has been used successfully in the treatment of pain following surgery, and in painful conditions of the muscles and skeleton. These include low back pain, tennis elbow (epicondylitis), and a chronic inflammation of a muscle (fibromyositis). Studies have shown that acupuncture stimulates the release of the body's natural pain-killing chemicals, called endorphins, which are very effective in blocking pain. In animals, transferring the fluid bathing the brain and spinal chord (cerebrospinal) from an animal receiving acupuncture to another animal who is not, produces pain relief (analgesia) in the recipient animal. In other controlled laboratory studies on people, acupuncture has been shown to be more effective than a placebo. In a number of pain-related conditions, acupuncture may be used along with other therapies. These include headache, menstrual cramps, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma.

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Acupuncture

Encyclopedia of Medicine by Kathleen Dredge Wright

Definition

Purpose

Pain relief

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