Acupuncture

The Theory of Acupuncture

Like all practises in Chinese medicine, acupuncture works with the concept of Yin and Yang and the energy flow or life-force within the human body. It is thought that when Yin and Yang are not in harmony or unbalanced then the life-force or Chi in the human body is upset resulting in disease.

Acupuncture works to correct this imbalance by inserting very fine needles into the skin at different points in the body depending on the individual's needs. The idea is that there are around 365 points on the human body (thought to be around 2,000 now) which needles can be inserted to correct the flow of chi and so redress the balance between Ying and Yang; Chi is thought to flow through the body through meridians and acupuncture can be used on these meridians (for example when meridian pathways cross each other) to correct the flow of Chi.

Acupuncture is used on particular parts of the body depending on the complaint, such as the ear which is thought in Chinese medical practise to be a map of the body. Keeping this in mind, if there is a problem with the liver for example, a needle would be inserted into a particular part of the ear to correct the problem.

There are different ways in which needles are used and the types of needles vary themselves. For example, a round needle is used for massaging, the three edged needle is used for puncturing a vein – though this needle has now been substituted by the scalpel. A sword-like needle is used in procedures where an abscess is needed to be drained. However, now most of these needles are no linger used in acupuncture and have been replaced by their surgical implement equivalents. The filliform needle is not the most widely used acupuncture needle which is made of stainless steel.

Methods such as running low frequency electric current through the needle/s are use in some cases where acupuncture is needed. It is also useful to mention the treatment called Moxibustion when looking at acupuncture because it is another method used for treating the human body. "Chlu" is the Chinese character used when referring to the treatment of moxibustion and it literally means 'to scar with a burning object'. 'Moxa' is made from the leaves of Artemisia vulgaris and the art does not actually include the scarring of the skin, but applying heat to acupuncture areas. The art of moxibustion is linked to acupuncture because it used the same acupuncture points on the body. Moxibustion is thought to be a treatment which acts as a prophylactic against disease.

Success of acupuncture as a form of treatment

With the influence of Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine started to decrease in popularity though at first China was very resistant to Western influences. This was mainly to do with the Confusion belief that the human body must stay intact into death, so Western surgical methods were unpopular. However, with the rise of medical missionaries in China, by 1920 there were around 550 hospitals set up and out patient clinics were also prevalent across China's mainland. Chinese medicine became less popular in China at this time and in 1929 the art of acupuncture was actually made illegal.

It wasn't until the rise of Communism in China that Chinese medicine sarted to be used more in medical practise. After guerrilla warfare in China ensued culminating in the Communist party taking power in 1949, the government encouraged the use of Chinese medicine in the 'liberated parts' of China to treat peasants. New hospitals were set up to help research Chinese medicine by combing it with scientific techniques as well and out of this came new approaches in acupuncture. Ear acupuncture, for example, is now used in China to anesthetise an individual, though there are times when it does not work as pain is not always controlled. It is recognised that acupuncture does have pain relieving affects.