What Is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is part of a comprehensive system of traditional Chinese medicine that has been practiced for some 3500 years. 

Chinese medicine views the body as an energetic organism and believes that optimal physical and mental health is determined by the flow of energy or ‘Qi’ throughout the body. Illness occurs when there is an imbalance or blockage of Qi in the body. This can arise due to a number of factors including stress, diet, infections, trauma, climate, and emotional states such as anger, grief, fear or anxiety.

In acupuncture, diagnosis and treatment are aimed at identifying any imbalances and correcting them. Treatment works to address the manifestation of the imbalance (which can result in pain, illness, etc.) and also it’s underlying cause.

For example, Qi should ideally move in a smooth continuous flow through the channels and organs. In Chinese Medicine, pain is regarded as the Qi becoming ‘stagnant’ (stuck) and can happen anywhere in the body due to injury, stress, diet and lifestyle factors. Stagnant Qi may manifest in symptoms as diverse as migraines, pre-menstrual tension, back pain or skin disorders.

Because acupuncture treats the root of the problem as well as the manifestation, the body is helped to strengthen and balance at a deep level.

Treatment involves the insertion of extremely fine, sterile disposable needles into appropriate points along the energy pathway, (also called meridians) in the body. Depending on the condition being treated and the person’s Qi, the needles are either left in place for about twenty minutes or inserted and removed immediately.

A herb called moxa is often used to strengthen the Qi or warm the body when there is pain or signs of cold or damp presenting.