Acupuncture Explained
Acupuncture
is a system of medicine developed over thousands of years to restore, promote,
and maintain good health. It has a clearly recorded history of about 2,000 years
although it is thought that it has been practiced in China and other Eastern
cultures for some 4000 years. There are even some suggestions that acupuncture
was used during the Stone Age using sharp edges tools.
Nowadays acupuncture is accepted worldwide as a valid system of healthcare.
More and more people are using this gentle and safe therapy as a means of preventing,
diagnosing and treating a wide array of conditions.
Acupuncture theory is based on the premise that the body’s motivating energy
("Chi" or "Qi") circulates throughout the body along well-defined
pathways, or meridians. When we are in perfect health, this energy flows in
a smooth and balanced way. When there is impairment to the circulation of energy
we may experience illnesses and pain.
Treatments
consist of the insertion of very thin needles at specific points along the body’s
energy channels. The aim is to stimulate the body’s own healing response and
restore its natural balance. In addition to needles, there are many other
tools that may be used during a treatment (e.g cupping, gua sha, and seven star hammer).