About Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture is an ancient medicinal technique that has been used in China for thousands of years. The use of acupuncture has been documented for 3,500 years and it is still one of the oldest and most commonly used systems for healing in the world. It remains the primary medical system for 25% of the world’s population.

Although its use had spread throughout Asia, little was known about it in the West until President Nixon’s groundbreaking visit to China in 1971. While traveling on assignment with the President, a member of the US press corps was treated with acupuncture, as he recovered from an emergency appendectomy.   The reporter described the experience in the New York Times and created interest in the successful use of acupuncture.  Since then, there has been a rapid growth in the awareness and use of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in Western countries.

The function of acupuncture is to enable the body’s energy to flow freely. The body has blood that flows through the circulatory system and nerve messages that flow through the nervous system. Life energy, or qi, flows through a system of 14 channels, called meridians, that were mapped out 3,500 years ago. When the qi is blocked, health problems arise.

Acupuncture is one tool used within the scope of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). TCM includes several mind and body practices that include cupping therapy, herbal products, moxibustion, tai chi, qi gong, and meditation.

Balance in the body can be disrupted by several factors.  Emotions such as grief, sadness or anger, the food we eat, or the environment in which we live are a few of these factors. Some of us are born with a weak constitution and many of us overwork and become depleted. These factors can cause minor imbalances, which left untreated, can become more serious pathologies.

In Chinese medicine, we are often able to address many symptoms at once, while also focusing on the root of the problem. Chinese diagnosis is based on the idea that external signs and symptoms reflect the condition of the internal organs. Over thousands of years, Chinese Doctors have developed this very sophisticated system of correspondences between outward signs and internal imbalances. 

Acupuncture and TCM strengthen the body’s natural defense mechanisms to protect against disease, enhance energy, and maintain a prolonged state of vibrant health. Acupuncture, often used in tandem with herbal prescriptions and mind/body exercises, is an effective treatment for a wide variety of conditions.  It can help regulate spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical balance. It is not a replacement for the precision of western medical tests, but it can be extremely helpful in revealing the root of an ailment, which is shown in a pattern of disharmony in the body.

Modern-day Chinese medicine and acupuncture combine ancient knowledge with current advances in medical technology and sterile techniques. From its discovery centuries ago to its recent acceptance in the western medical model, the field of acupuncture and Chinese medicine has been increasingly tested scientifically, yielding a growing body of evidence about its effectiveness in a wide range of conditions. The integration of TCM and Western medicine is expanding as a medical model worldwide, as a means to more effectively treat patients.