Acupuncture is a complete system of medicine based on principles which have been used in the Orient for the last 4000 years. It works with the natural energies inherent within all living things to promote the body’s ability to heal itself.

How does it work?

Science can trace the development of a baby from the union of sperm and egg, but it cannot explain exactly how the miracle of life begins. Science can study what happens when bones mend or wounds heal but cannot explain why this happens. Acupuncture works with the same life force that is behind these processes. This life force (or Ki) is the vital energy which originally created the body and continues to keep it alive and functioning properly. As such, Ki has the perfect knowledge to repair the body should any damage or disease occur.

Disease becomes manifest but cannot be cured when this life force becomes weakened to such an extent that it can no longer heal. This weakness will show as an imbalance in the energy currents (called meridians), which are the pathways through which the Ki passes. The ancient masters traced these pathways and located points at which life energy communicates with the surface of the body. Modern science has been able to measure the electrical charge at these points, thus corroborating the locations of the life energy channels that had been mapped by the ancients. It is these points which are used for traditional acupuncture, moxibustion and hand treatment.

What kinds of diseases can acupuncture treat?

Any health problem, disease or illness may be treated by acupuncture. In some cases where life energy has deteriorated too far to effect a cure, the disease can still be arrested and pain alleviated to allow the patient to lead a reasonably normal life. Although there are techniques in Oriental medicine for healing all conditions, there are some problems which can be dealt with more quickly by Western medicine. In such cases your acupuncturist will recommend that you contact a physician. Although some conditions can be alleviated very rapidly by acupuncture, many conditions have taken years to establish and can only be relieved through steady, slow progress. As in any form of healing, the patient must be fully determined to get well and to change the habits or attitudes which have been undermining his or her health.

Does acupuncture primarily affect the nervous system to relieve pain?

Some of the most dramatic news about acupuncture in the West publicizes its ability to relieve chronic and acute pain. Although it is indeed effective in such situations, acupuncture and Oriental medicine are more than pain-killing techniques. Although the nervous system relays pain signals caused by physical trauma, pain is often a signal from the body that energy is not flowing smoothly due to stress, improper diet, emotional strain, etc. When the current of life energy is balanced through acupuncture, the nerves, muscles, bones, blood vessels, and organs are revitalized and the condition which created the pain sensation is relieved.

Is acupuncture painful?

Acupuncture needles are very fine and flexible, about the diameter of a thick hair. Insertion by a skilled practitioner usually will be completely painless; in most cases, needles are inserted just below the surface of the skin. There are certain techniques used in Oriental medicine which can be painful, because it is painful to mobilize energy which has been stagnating. But the sensation from acupuncture bears no resemblance to an injection. The main source of pain from an injection is the hollow needle and the pressure from the medication being forced into the tissue. Acupuncture needles are used to attract or disperse energy along the meridians, not to inject anything.

Can acupuncture help people stop smoking and lose weight?

There are certain acupuncture points which have been used to treat these problems, but the same points will not work for all people. Correct diagnosis by an experienced practitioner is the surest way to work with these conditions. When the life energy in the body is balanced and flowing smoothly, people often lose their desire to smoke and over-eat, because these cravings are often symptoms of imbalances that existed before the treatment.

How do most people respond to acupuncture?

Some patients feel progressively better after each treatment. Some illnesses so dull the senses that the full severity of the symptoms is no longer clearly felt. As the life force returns, sensitivity also returns, so a patient may temporarily feel worse. However, this passes in a short time. Other illnesses are of a complicated nature, and as treatment progresses, it is possible for symptoms to return that were present years ago, because the course of the sickness is being reversed.

How many treatments are necessary?

The duration of a disease, the amount of deterioration, and the constitution of each patient must be taken into account when determining the number of treatments necessary. Most chronic conditions require a minimum of ten treatments to alleviate symptoms and balance the energy so that symptoms are not likely to recur.

Article provided by: Dr. Teresa Wilkinson, The Path to Wellness
www.thepathtulsa.com