Acupuncture describes a specific medical technique and tool of one of Chinese Medicine’s five major modalities; Chinese Medicine is a Whole Medical System. Over the past two decades, there has been unprecedented growth in the practice of acupuncture in the West: however, TCM has theoretical roots over 2000 years old. We have modern techniques, but TCM remains unchanged. There is NO AMERICAN ACUPUNCTURE.
Facts about acupuncture
- Acupuncture is very safe and has few-no side effects though it is a Clinical Medicine
- Acupuncture is a Complementary Medicine – it is not “anti” Western Medicine
- Acupuncture is a practical, Physical medicine. Primarily influencing Blood Flow-
- The first evidence of Acupuncture dates to 1523 B.C.
- Little was known about Acupuncture in the U.S before 1971
- Today there are 20,000+ U.S. Acupuncturists. Most have an MSc –
- Acupuncturists receive complete Chinese Medicine training and must also achieve a Master of Science degree.
- Acupuncture is part of a Medical practice that has served vast populations for over 2000 years.
- Acu-points are found all over the body and are safe to use when properly needed.
- Acu-Point selection is guided by Chinese Medical Theory.
The FDA
- Classified the ‘acupuncture needle’ as a Standard Medical Device in 1994.
- Estimates that over 12 Million treatments are administered every year.
- Reports that Acupuncture and TCM drive a 0.5 Billion dollar micro-economy annually.
How Does it Work?
- Circulation and Anti-Inflammation
- Chinese Medicine speaks of Acu-points (and Meridians) as a functional, conducting network within the body that primarily improves Circulation.
- Emerging research wisdom accepts that our endocrine, immune and nervous systems are a whole and work together to influence tissue repair and inflammation.
- Some evidence proposes that needles activate Neural pathways ~ TCM focuses on influencing blood flow, tissue perfusion, and blood supply to the Nerves
- Some suggest that an interplay of signals between neural and connective tissue components, triggered by the needles, affects the cells surrounding the Acu-points
- Some describe the action of needling as ‘modulating an information system’ mediated by a neuro-fascial network; Activation points in the soft tissue –
- Acupuncture + the Human Body
= INCREASED IN BLOOD FLOW, DECREASE IN INFLAMMATION