How Acupuncture Really Works!
By Yosef Pollack, L.Ac.

Everybody knows acupuncture has something to do with sticking needles into your body.  This somehow heals a variety of ailments. For most people, that’s about all they care to know about this practice. So let’s look at how it really works, and some other practices you might have heard of, like cupping, moxibustion and gua sha.

Acupuncture is a part of traditional Chinese medicine. It’s been used for thousands of years to treat a number of ailments. Until recently, it was written off by western medicine as a weird new age fad. Only recently, the western medical profession has begun to develop serious respect for Chinese medicine. Why? Because their ‘scientific’ research has finally shown that it produces results. Western doctors are gradually learning things about the human body that the Chinese have known for thousands of years.

How Acupuncture Works

Chinese doctors work with qi, a life force energy that flows through the body. When there is an injury, improper diet or sometimes certain weather conditions, it blocks the flow of qi. The basic principle of acupuncture is to establish balance in the flow of energy, removing blockages, and relieving pain or anomalies that result from excess (yang) or deficiency (yin).

Your body has qi, a life force energy that flows through the body. They are akin to super highways of your energy. By gently inserting needles at key points, acupuncture treatment opens up the meridians, reestablishing balanced flowing qi. This makes the body more cohesive or whole again, restores its natural balance and gets rid of the illness. Orthopedic Acupuncture also uses needles to make contact with tension points that ease pain by relaxing tight muscles, tendons and ligaments.

The needles are as thin as human hair and left in for 20 to 40 minutes. During this time, you relax and listen to soft music or enjoy a soothing heat lamp. Sometimes electrodes are attached to the needles which vibrate, giving you a gentle massage-like effect.  

How About the Results?

Acupuncture treatment stimulates the immune system and has a positive effect on blood pressure, circulation, heart regularity, secretion of fluids and production of white and red blood cells. In other words, it’s good for just about everything! We apply Orthopedic Acupuncture to help reduce pain and treat many musculoskeletal ailments.

You can receive one treatment or any number of treatments, depending on the nature of the problem. It’s all natural, which means it uses no drugs or chemicals, and has no side effects. Although needles sound a little scary for some folks, they are painless and completely comfortable for most people.

Cupping

Now, let’s look at some other traditional Chinese acupuncture treatments. One of them is cupping. It’s an adjunct to the use of needles but it’s still considered acupuncture.  Cupping has been used in China for at least 2,500 years.

One method, called “fire cupping,” uses heat for suction. The doctor soaks a cotton ball in alcohol and ignites it in a glass cup to create a vacuum. Many acupuncturists use a handy pump-valve cupping technique that is just as effective. The cup is placed over the skin and when contact is made, blood flows to the skin. You may receive a ‘stationary’ or ‘running’ cupping therapy. It’s used to treat colds, digestive problems, respiratory problems and more.

Gua Sha

Gua sha is like suction cupping. A small, round-edged instrument is used to put pressure on the skin. This instrument applied around different areas, stimulating blood flow. It helps increase circulation and provides relief from pain, nausea, chills, fevers, soreness and tension. It has a variety of effects for each individual.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is the burning of moxa, or mugwort herb, against the skin. Usually, a cone-shaped amount of moxa is burned against the skin at a key point. It can either be done directly against the skin or indirectly a few inches from the skin. Lots of people prefer the indirect method because the direct one burns a little. Moxibustion is good for back pain, arthritis, indigestion, anxiety, headaches, muscle aches, feminine health problems and general pain anywhere in the body.

Why do these methods work? Western science is beginning to understand and endorse acupuncture techniques. The fact is that they are effective, efficient and inexpensive are a few good reasons why the Chinese have been using them for so long.  

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