Acupuncture, one of the world's most commonly used medical procedures, is at the heart of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and can be traced back 2500 years.
The technique involved using disposable, stainless-steel needles to stimulate the body's 14 major energy channels or meridians. According to TCM, this process can cure and prevent illnesses by correcting imbalances in the body's energy flows. Acupuncture can also be used as an anaesthetic and anodyne. It is thought to work by stimulating the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers.
Among the conditions for which acupuncture is offered as a treatment are addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, arthritis, lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma. One of the great benefits of acupuncture as a treatment is that it results in few if any side effects.
Though acupuncture was introduced to Europe by Jesuit missionaries who had worked in China, it didn't become well-known in the United States until the 1970s when the relationship between China and the USA warmed up. After initially meeting with scepticism from the mainstream medical community, acupuncture was formally recognised by the National Institute of Health as a healing option in 1997.
In the authentic TCM system, acupuncture is part of a holistic treatment regimen together with other treatments such as teas, herbs, food therapy, exercise, and massage. The main purpose of TCM is to maintain or restore balance in the body, something which is at the heart of the holistic medical system.
The technique involved using disposable, stainless-steel needles to stimulate the body's 14 major energy channels or meridians. According to TCM, this process can cure and prevent illnesses by correcting imbalances in the body's energy flows. Acupuncture can also be used as an anaesthetic and anodyne. It is thought to work by stimulating the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers.
Among the conditions for which acupuncture is offered as a treatment are addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, arthritis, lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma. One of the great benefits of acupuncture as a treatment is that it results in few if any side effects.
Though acupuncture was introduced to Europe by Jesuit missionaries who had worked in China, it didn't become well-known in the United States until the 1970s when the relationship between China and the USA warmed up. After initially meeting with scepticism from the mainstream medical community, acupuncture was formally recognised by the National Institute of Health as a healing option in 1997.
In the authentic TCM system, acupuncture is part of a holistic treatment regimen together with other treatments such as teas, herbs, food therapy, exercise, and massage. The main purpose of TCM is to maintain or restore balance in the body, something which is at the heart of the holistic medical system.