Acupuncture, as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, has a history of at least three thousand years. It is then difficult to pinpoint the exact way that it was discovered, but one can surmise that people discovered points on the body that affect the body, each in its own unique way. Gradually the knowledge of these points was gathered together into a system of meridians (also called channels), where each meridian represents an organ system. It is in these meridians that the Qi of the body flows, therefore needling specific points affects Qi in a fashion unique to that point. It is this theory of Qi that explains the systemic effect of specific points on the body.
In combination with the overall theory developed in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the theory of acupuncture began to incorporate methods to manipulate Qi in very specific ways. With trauma, for example, an acupuncturist might choose a point on the opposite "end" of the body to draw the "pathogenic Qi" out of the local area. This example brings up two unique strengths of acupuncture: 1) Acupuncture can be used in acute trauma to lessen the extent of the secondary damage at a site of trauma, unlike many other therapies. 2) Acupuncture views the human body as a whole, with all tissues and organs dependent to some extent on each other. This holistic approach is a fundamental part of the theory of TCM - acupuncture deals both with the major complaint as well as the balance of the entire individual.
Over time, this theory has become quite sophisticated, and the treatments themselves are usually quite complex in the theory that drives them. A good acupuncturist will choose a combination of points that is elegant in theory and function, often using points that have a variety of functions to minimize the number of needles used. For instance points used for joint pain may also help to improve the sleep of an individual suffering from both.
In modern days acupuncturists use pre-sterilized disposable needles that are very sharp and thin. Typically one should not feel much, if anything when the needle pierces the skin because of this sharpness. The average treatment consists of eight to sixteen needles that are retained for fifteen minutes to half an hour or more. The patient is encouraged to relax, breathe and enjoy the time to do nothing. This "time out" quality is proving to be of great therapeutic value in our busy schedules.
The sensations one receives from an acupuncture treatment range from quite subtle to very profound, depending on the patient's condition, but rarely very painful. Reactions range from a feeling of deep numbness, heaviness or tingling around the needle to an electrical feeling that runs up or down the channel. It is my experience that most people are pleasantly surprised at the lack of discomfort of the overall treatment.
The frequency that one receives acupuncture depends of the condition that is being treated. For acute condition, one might visit an acupuncturist two or three times a week for a couple of weeks whereas for persistent chronic ailments treatment might be held every week or every other week for six months to a year. Your acupuncturist may also recommend exercises, may give dietary advice or might prescribe herbs. Remember, acupuncture is one modality among many in TCM, and your practitioner will want to use his or her full arsenal in healing your condition.
So what is acupuncture good for? Acupuncture can help the following complaints with next to no side effects (which include the occasional small bruise and very rarely fainting):