It's the needles that everyone knows about acupuncture. And it's those needles that prevent most people from looking any further into using acupuncture. Acupuncture works by inserting these fine, metal needles into acupuncture points to manipulate the flow of "qi" or energy through the body. The acupuncture points are numbered from 1 to 41 for the large points, and 1 through 33 for the small points. These points are a major part of the course of study of licensed acupuncturists.
In all, there are over 360 acupuncture points which can be used for stimulation. When fine needles are inserted into these points, the flow of energy through those points can be either interrupted or strengthened. By directing this energy, many health problems can be healed or improved. Tender acupuncture points may indicate area of abnormal energy flow.
If, like most people, you have a fear of needles, you've probably avoided acupuncture as a healing modality. You'll be glad to know, however, that the needles used in acupuncture are so fine that they are painless in the vast majority of cases. And since they are only inserted millimeters deep, they do not draw blood. Licensed acupuncturists have hundreds of hours of training, making them quite adept at making acupuncture sessions as pain-free as possible. When a needle's insertion is felt in rare instances, the sensation is so mild that it resembles only a minor bite from an insect such as a mosquito. So fear not; acupuncture is not a masochistic exercise but a health-producing one.
Western science is still attempting to identify meridians using Western tools. The difficulty for Western scientists in this task lies in the fact that the meridians don't directly correspond to nerve or blood pathways. Some researchers have hypothesized that the meridians are actually located throughout the body's connective tissue.
Western scientists are also attempting to put together the mechanism by which acupuncture points affect the body. New data is suggesting that acupuncture points are actually specialized conductors of the body's biological electromagnetic signals. For example, the flow of a pain signal from a body part to the spinal cord and eventually to the brain are controlled by what Western science posits are "gates" throughout the central nervous system. Like streets and alleys, the body's nerve pathways can handle a limited amount of information or flow through its pathways.
Acupuncture helps to generate signals which move faster than the pain signals, crowding those pain signals out because of the limited capacity of the nerves. The pain signals are thus blocked from reaching the brain. The acupuncture signals may also start the flow of endorphins and other pain-reducing hormones and chemicals, or perhaps signal the immune system to pay attention to specific body parts.
Experimental and clinical evidence has found that acupuncture not only inhibits pain but also has a direct effect on circulation, blood pressure, blood cell production, and the immune system. It is believed that acupuncture points stimulate the brain and spinal cord to release chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord and brain, altering brain chemistry in a positive way.
Does acupuncture work through the body's bio-electric field? Will the meridians one day be mapped by Western tools? Whatever the answer, and whenever Western medicine finally validates the medical knowledge of TCM, there is more than sufficient evidence to show that acupuncture is as effective as Western medicine in relieving many ills and diseases. Does acupuncture do this by actually harmonizing the balance of yin and yang in the body, as TCM suggests, or by some other means? Regardless of the final answer, acupuncture produces amazing results.
In all, there are over 360 acupuncture points which can be used for stimulation. When fine needles are inserted into these points, the flow of energy through those points can be either interrupted or strengthened. By directing this energy, many health problems can be healed or improved. Tender acupuncture points may indicate area of abnormal energy flow.
If, like most people, you have a fear of needles, you've probably avoided acupuncture as a healing modality. You'll be glad to know, however, that the needles used in acupuncture are so fine that they are painless in the vast majority of cases. And since they are only inserted millimeters deep, they do not draw blood. Licensed acupuncturists have hundreds of hours of training, making them quite adept at making acupuncture sessions as pain-free as possible. When a needle's insertion is felt in rare instances, the sensation is so mild that it resembles only a minor bite from an insect such as a mosquito. So fear not; acupuncture is not a masochistic exercise but a health-producing one.
Western science is still attempting to identify meridians using Western tools. The difficulty for Western scientists in this task lies in the fact that the meridians don't directly correspond to nerve or blood pathways. Some researchers have hypothesized that the meridians are actually located throughout the body's connective tissue.
Western scientists are also attempting to put together the mechanism by which acupuncture points affect the body. New data is suggesting that acupuncture points are actually specialized conductors of the body's biological electromagnetic signals. For example, the flow of a pain signal from a body part to the spinal cord and eventually to the brain are controlled by what Western science posits are "gates" throughout the central nervous system. Like streets and alleys, the body's nerve pathways can handle a limited amount of information or flow through its pathways.
Acupuncture helps to generate signals which move faster than the pain signals, crowding those pain signals out because of the limited capacity of the nerves. The pain signals are thus blocked from reaching the brain. The acupuncture signals may also start the flow of endorphins and other pain-reducing hormones and chemicals, or perhaps signal the immune system to pay attention to specific body parts.
Experimental and clinical evidence has found that acupuncture not only inhibits pain but also has a direct effect on circulation, blood pressure, blood cell production, and the immune system. It is believed that acupuncture points stimulate the brain and spinal cord to release chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord and brain, altering brain chemistry in a positive way.
Does acupuncture work through the body's bio-electric field? Will the meridians one day be mapped by Western tools? Whatever the answer, and whenever Western medicine finally validates the medical knowledge of TCM, there is more than sufficient evidence to show that acupuncture is as effective as Western medicine in relieving many ills and diseases. Does acupuncture do this by actually harmonizing the balance of yin and yang in the body, as TCM suggests, or by some other means? Regardless of the final answer, acupuncture produces amazing results.
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Whether it's treating pain, helping you quit smoking or other addictions, or overcoming anxiety, Evolve Wellness can help. Since 1998, our Los Angeles Acupuncture Center has been helping hundreds of patients improve their health and well-being. Call today to schedule an appointment with a member of our team of Los Angeles Acupuncturists today.
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