The most common question my clients ask me is “so ... how does acupuncture work?”
My answer looks like this:
Basically, acupuncture works differently. At the physiological level, acupuncture works to stimulate the body’s natural immune response. For example, if you have a shard in your finger, your body goes through a series of natural immune responses that send healing (white blood cells) to this area, increases circulation, and brings nutrients to surrounding tissues and muscles. All this is due to the fact that you even know. Acupuncture works in the same way, except that the acupuncturist directs where the healing takes place.
Acupuncture also initiates the release of hormones called endorphins. Endorphins have a positive effect on the body as well as on the mind. When endorphins are released, as during an acupuncture session, it can cause a feeling of deep relaxation and well-being, helps lower blood pressure, helps boost the immune system, and acts as a strong painkiller. It is a natural painkiller that will strike as soon as there is an injury or injury. Acupuncture is a gentle way to stimulate the body’s innate healing abilities.
If you look closely at the diagram representing the nervous system and the circulatory system, we will see that their paths are very closely connected with the Meridian system. Seeing this relationship, it makes sense that, by stimulating one area, it can have the effect of pulsing through the body through this amazing network of nerves and blood vessels.
So far, we have looked at very physical effects and ways to explain how acupuncture works, so now let's look at additional explanations.
In Chinese medicine, the meridians are similar to rivers that flow throughout the body; instead of water, the meridians carry qi, which is loosely translated means energy. So, like a river, water flows from one side of the country to the other, Qi or energy flows through the body, feeding and nourishing the areas through which it passes.
Acupuncture points are pools of energy, where electromagnetic force is stronger than in other areas, they are like reservoirs and can be stimulated to help increase or decrease the flow of energy if there are too many. As the Qi level falls in one area, so that it performs along its meridian and, therefore, has the ability to affect not only this part. If there is a blockage of energy in the meridian, it can lead to the fact that the energy gets stuck in this area, causing the blood to stall and get pain. Placing acupuncture needles along the meridians can help unblock this stagnation, restoring the body to a state of health.
Acupuncture has existed for over 5,000 years and is currently used by acupuncture surgeons, physical therapists, doctors, chiropractors and hospitals around the world. Its still strong, in fact, more and more ways to use acupuncture more effectively than ever before. Although there have been studies in the field of acupuncture and research that prove that acupuncture really works, there are still many things that cannot be rationally explained by science about how it can work in different ways.
Stay tuned to learn more about the benefits of acupuncture, that acupuncture can be treated, and information about commonly used acupuncture points that you can use at home just by clicking on your glasses.
Founder of Tanya Wester and director of the Inner Balance Clinic in Byron Bay NSW.
