Acupuncture (from Lat. acus, "needle" (noun), and pungere, "prick" (verb) is one of the main branches
of Traditional Chinese Medicine (others being herbal medicine and tui na). It is a therapeutic technique from that framework
intended to restore health and well-being.
The term acupuncture is often used by Westerners to refer to Chinese medicine generally. The technique involves the insertion
of needles into "acupuncture points" on the body by trained practitioners. The needles most commonly used in present-day practice
are made of stainless steel and are of approximately the same diameter as a medium thickness guitar string (from approximately
.01" to .02").
Although the clinical efficacy of this practice is debated, the traditional theory underlying its mechanisms has no basis
in modern scientific conceptions of physiology and is therefore considered by its critics to be a pseudoscience. While many
of its practitioners and proponents promote it in a modern, clinical manner, acupuncture and related practices predate modern
concepts of science.
In China, the practice of acupuncture can perhaps be traced as far back as the 1st millennium BC, and archeological evidence
has been identified with the period of the Han dynasty (from 202 BC to 220 AD). The practice spread centuries ago into many
parts of Asia; in modern times it is a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and forms of it are also described
in the literature of traditional Korean medicine where it is called chimsul. It is also important in Kampo, the traditional
medicine system of Japan.
Recent examinations of Ötzi, a 5000 year old mummy found in the Alps, have located over fifty tattoos on Ötzi's body, some of which are located on acupuncture points that would today be used to treat ailments Ötzi suffered from. Some
scientists believe that this is evidence that practices similar to acupuncture were practiced elsewhere in Eurasia during
the early bronze age.
Medical law in the United States regarding acupuncture varies widely from state to state. Notably, states furthest to the
west (Hawaii most particularly, California, etc.) have the most comprehensive and erudite laws and regulations regarding acupuncture.
In many U.S. states - those furthest to the east - medical doctors (M.D.s) are permitted to practice acupuncture with no
specific training in acupuncture. In some states, acupuncturists are required to work with an M.D. in a subservient relationship,
even if the M.D. has no training in acupuncture. Contrastingly, Hawaii forbids M.D.s to practice acupuncture unless they have
received specific training in it and have demonstrated related competency.
Acupuncture treats the human body as a whole that involves several "systems of function" that are in many cases associated
with (but not identified on a one-to-one basis with) physical organs. Some systems of function, such as the "triple heater"
(San Jiao, also called the "triple burner") have no corresponding physical organ. Disease is understood as a loss of homeostasis
among the several systems of function, and treatment of disease is attempted by modifying the activity of one or more systems
of function through the activity of needles, pressure, heat, etc. on sensitive parts of the body of small volume traditionally
called "acupuncture points" in English, or "xue" (zt, cavities) in Chinese.
Treatment of acupuncture points may be performed along the twelve main or eight extra meridians, located throughout the
body. Ten of the main meridians are named after organs of the body (Heart, Liver, etc.), and the other two are named after
so called body functions (Heart Protector or Pericardium, and San Jiao). The two most important of the eight "extra" meridians
are situated on the midline of the anterior and posterior aspects of the trunk and head.
The twelve primary meridians run vertically, bilaterally, and symmetrically and every channel corresponds to and connects
internally with one of the twelve Zang Fu ("organs"). This means that there are six yin and six yang channels. There are three
yin and three yang channels on each arm, and three yin and three yang on each leg.
The three yin channels of the hand (Lung, Pericardium, and Heart) begin on the chest and travel along the inner surface
(mostly the anterior portion) of the arm to the hand.The three yang channels of the hand (Large intestine, San Jiao, and Small
intestine) begin on the hand and travel along the outer surface (mostly the posterior portion) of the arm to the head.
The three yang channels of the foot (Stomach, Gallbladder, and Bladder) begin on the face, in the region of the eye, and
travels down the body and along the outer surface (mostly the anterior and lateral portion) of the leg to the foot.
The three yin channels of the foot (Spleen, Liver, and Kidney) begin on the foot and travel along the inner surface (mostly
posterior and medial portion) of the leg to the chest or flank.The movement of qi through each of the twelve channels is comprised
of an internal and an external pathway. The external pathway is what is normally shown on an acupuncture chart and it is relatively
superficial. All the acupuncture points of a channel lie on its external pathway. The internal pathways are the deep course
of the channel where it enters the body cavities and related Zang-Fu organs. The superficial pathways of the twelve channels
describe three complete circuits of the body.
The distribution of energy through the meridians is said to be as follows: Lung channel of hand taiyin to Large Intestine
channel of hand yangming to Stomach channel of foot yangming to Spleen channel of foot taiyin to Heart channel of hand shaoyin
to Small Intestine channel of hand taiyang to Bladder channel of foot taiyang to Kidney channel of foot shaoyin to Pericardium
channel of hand jueyin to San Jiao channel of hand shaoyang to Gallbladder channel of foot shaoyang to Liver channel of foot
jueyin then back to the Lung channel of hand taiyin.
Traditional Chinese medical theory holds that acupuncture works by normalizing the balance of qi "vital energy" throughout
the body. Pain or illnesses are treated by attempting to remedy local or systemic accumulations or deficiencies of qi. Pain
is considered to indicate blockage or stagnation of the flow of qi, and an axiom of the medical literature of acupuncture
is "no pain, no blockage; no blockage, no pain".
Continued Acupuncture............ Part-2
