What is Acupuncture?

Translated from original blog post at http://www.LiYeSen.com

Although acupuncture has been around for more than 2000 years….

Although it had made a tremendous contribution to the Chinese nation and even human beings development…

But…

There are still a lot of people do not understand much about acupuncture… Don’t understand what is acupuncture.  Don’t understand how acupuncture treat and cure sicknesses. What are the diseases that can be treated by acupuncture? And, that’s why during my work, I often have to explain to my patients about acupuncture.

The method of acupuncture 针法 and the method of moxibustion 灸法 is collectively known as “Acupuncture” 针灸. It is one of the important composition of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It includes acupuncture theory, acupuncture points (acupoints), acupuncture techniques and relevant eqiupments. During the process of formation, application and development of acupuncture, it possesses distinct Han Chinese 汉民族 Han MinZu culture and geographical features. Acupuncture is a precious heritage that is based on Han Chinese culture and tradition.

What we usually talk about acupuncture, is a fine needle acupuncture method. It is one type of acupuncture method. It uses a metal filiform (thread-like) fine needle to insert to the patient’s body according to certain acupoints, while utilizing the acupuncture techniques such as twist and turn; lift and insert, as to treat diseases.

Me, doing acupuncture for a patient.

In addition, there are also Three-edged needletherapy 三棱针刺法, Skin needletherapy 皮肤针刺法, Fire needletherapy 火针刺法 and others. And all these are treatment means formed and developed under the guidance of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory. Different types of needles have different types of application. Both the three-edged needle and skin needle can be used in the bloodletting treatment. The different is that, three-edged needle is used more on pricking the skin, while the skin needle is used for larger surface area of bloodletting treatment. As for the fire needle, it is used for Chronic illness treatment, such as rheumatism ache and wind-dampness.

In ancient times, Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors use nine different shapes of needles to cure diseases. This was as recorded in the book, <<LingShu – Official needle>> 《灵枢•官针》, “There are nine different types of acupuncture needles, that have their own functions and ways of usage. When these needles are not used wisely, the diseases can not be cured.”

Moxibustion is a method that put the burning moxa on the skin accordingly based on different acupoints. It is a method of disease prevention and treatment, by utilizing the heat for stimulation and moxa herbs for the function of warming meridians, dispelling cold, and relieving pain.

I was putting a moxa stick according to a patient's acupoint.

Moxibustion, its Chinese name – 灸法, having the word “Jiu” “灸”, was explained in the book ‘Word and Expression’ ShuoWen JieZhi《说文解字》as “Burn”. It has the meaning of “burning” the body as to cure diseases. Among all the famous monograph on Traditional Chinese Medicine, moxibustion was found at the earliest in the book HuangDi NeiJing 《黄帝内经》. Moxibustion is not only good and effective for Asthenia syndromes and cold diseases. At the same time, moxibustion is also a good way of health care. There are few different ways of moxibustion, such as moxibustion with moxa cone, moxibustion with moxa stick, moxibustion with warming needle, moxibustion with medicines or herbs, solar term moxibustion and others. When different ways of moxibustion are applied based on different condition of sickness, it usually gets miraculous effects.

Both acupuncture and moxibustion can be used alone, but more often they are used together. It is called acupuncture-moxibustion or just Acupuncture, as both have the complementary role. When two are used together, it can achieve best results for treating diseases.

During the clinical practice of acupuncture treatment, based on Traditional Chinese Medicine’s diagnosis methods, it is important to diagnose the cause of sickness, find out the key points to the disease, differentiate the the nature of the disease, determine the type of affection (which meridian, and which organ), identify types of sickness. This then proceed to giving treatment to the corresponding acupoints. This is done as to smooth the meridians, and to tune the Qi and blood, which then lead to balancing of Yin and Yang, and reconciling the function of internal organs. This can then achieve the aim of preventing and curing diseases.

Acupuncture has many advantages, such as:

1) There is a wide range of applications for any diseases treatment and prevention. Most of the diseases can apply with acupuncture for treatment. Here is a list released released by World Health Organization (WHO) 1980, with 43 kinds of diseases that can effectively treated with acupuncture. These including:

1. Sinusitis 鼻窦炎
2. Rhinitis 鼻炎
3. Cold 感冒
4. Tonsillitis 扁桃腺炎
5. Acute and chronic laryngitis 急、慢性喉炎
6. Bronchitis 气管炎
7. Bronchial asthma 支气管哮喘
8. Acute conjunctivitis 急性结膜炎
9. Central retinitis 中心性视网膜炎
10. Myopia 近视眼
11. Cataract 白内障
12. Toothache 牙痛
13. Pain after tooth extraction 拔牙后疼痛
14. Gingivitis 牙龈炎；
15. Esophagus, sprayed the door missing flaccid disease 食道、喷门失驰缓症
16. Hiccup 呃逆
17. Gastroptosis 胃下垂
18. Acute and chronic gastritis 急、慢性胃炎
19. Gastric acid or HAPC acid 胃酸增多症
20. Chronic duodenal ulcer (pain remission) 慢性十二指肠溃疡(疼缓解)
21. A simple inflammation of acute duodenal ulcer 单纯急性十二指肠溃疡炎
22. Acute and chronic colitis 急、慢性结肠炎
23. Acute (chronic) of bacillary dysentery 急性（慢性）杆菌性痢疾
24. Constipation 便秘
25. Diarrhea 腹泻
26. Intestinal paralysis 肠麻痹
27. Headache 头痛
28. Migraine 偏头痛
29. Trigeminal neuralgia 三叉神经痛
30. Facial paralysis 面神经麻痹
31. Mild paralysis after stroke 中风后的轻度瘫痪
32. Peripheral nerve disorders 周围性神经疾患
33. Children with sequelae of poliomyelitis 小儿脊髓灰质炎后遗症
34. Meniere’s syndrome 美尼尔氏综合征
35. Neurogenic bladder dysfunction 神经性膀胱功能失调
36. Enuresis 遗尿
37. Intercostal neuralgia 肋间神经痛
38. Neck-arm syndrome 颈臂综合征
39. Shoulder coagulation disorder (scapulohumeral periarthritis) 肩凝症（肩周炎）
40. Tennis elbow 网球肘
41. Sciatica 坐骨神经痛
42. Low back pain 腰痛
43. Arthritis 关节炎

2) The effect of diseases treatment is relatively rapid and significant, especially with the function of exciting the body function; improving disease resistance; and calming and easing pain effects. Acupuncture treatment directly give the effect through diagnosis and moxibustion as to stimulate the acupuncture points, and the meridians. It is unlike having medication, that need to go through the process of digestion and absorption. Thus, the effect is fast and effective.

3) The operation is user-friendly. In ancient times, many doctors relied only on a few needles to serve the community. The key lies in its user-friendly operation.

4) Economic medical expenses

5) There is no or can consider as very little side effects. Basically, acupuncture is a safety and reliable treatment method, that can also be integrated with other treatment therapies to have comprehensive treament. As long as the person in charge is a professional acupuncturist, its security is guaranted. Nowaday, a standard acupuncturist uses sterilized disposable acupuncture needle. So, there is no need to worry about cross-infection from the acupuncture needle. Besides, acupuncture and Chinese medicine herbs or even other Western medicine therapies do not have confliction but rather having a synergic effect.

Hope that my explanation above can help you to understand more about acupuncture.