Acupuncture: Akupunktur
It is one of the oldest, most commonly used medical procedures in the world. Originating in China more than 3,000 years ago, acupuncture was essentially unknown in the United States until President Nixon’s visit to China in 1971. James Reston of the New York Times was treated with acupuncture while serving as a member of the US press corps in China. His first-person accoun
t was widely publicized at the time and served to introduce acupuncture to the US. The term acupuncture describes a family of procedures involving stimulation of anatomical points on the body by a variety of techniques. American practices of acupuncture incorporate medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries.The acupuncture technique that has been most studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation. Acupuncture clinical practice is directed to the discovery of alterations in the flow of Qi. Acupuncture treatments are intended to reverse these pathologic changes by redirecting the flow of the energy in the meridians through the insertion and manipulation of needles on points along the meridians. The Chinese used this essentially all diseases. Your bodies use Blood and Qi (pronounced “Chee”) to carry nutrients and to power your bodies. (A note about Qi: This is the energy in your body, the current of neurons firing in your brain or the electrical impulses given off by your heart. Qi can be compared to what is measured in an EKG or EEG test.) If there is blockage or “stuck-ed-ness” in Blood (a bruise is stuck blood) or Qi, you will have symptoms such as pain.
