Acupuncture is a 3000 year old approach to health care that originated in China. It involves inserting needles into the body at any of the more than 400 precise acupuncture points that map the body’s energy pathways.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
Traditionally, acupuncture was seen as a way of removing energy blockages and freeing the movement of the body’s energy or qi. Since acupuncture was first introduced to the west in 1970’s there now exists a substantial body of research into its efficacy and mechanism. Studies have not only shown that acupuncture is effective, but that it also has strong similarities with modern treatment approaches commonly used by massage therapists, physiotherapists and chiropractors. In particular, 93% of trigger points are located at acupuncture points. Also, Tom Myer’s “Anatomy Trains” map almost perfectly over acupuncture’s energy meridians.
Research has shown that acupuncture initiates a complex set of events that causes the body to release its own healing chemicals such as:
Cortisol – Cortisol has a bad name as the “stress hormone”, but it is also the body’s own version of cortisone injections. This powerful, natural, healing hormone breaks down scar tissue and adhesions and acts as an anti-inflammatory with none of the side effects of cortisone injections.
Endogenous Opiates – The body’s version of morphine. A very powerful pain killing analgesic without the grogginess or other side effects of morphine.
Endorphins, Serotonin, Acetylcholine – Natural pain killing analgesics.