Acupuncture
Acupuncture began with the discovery that the stimulation of specific areas on the skin affects the physiological functioning of the body’s processes. It has evolved into a scientific system of healing that restores and maintains health by inserting hair-fine needles into the acupoints on the skin. These acupoints are very specific locations and lie on channels of energy called meridians. The points that the practitioner chooses to stimulate may not necessarily be at the site of the symptoms. The definition and characterization of these points is standardized by the World Health Organization.
For more than 23 centuries acupuncture needles and adjunct therapies have mended what is now 1/4 of the world’s population. Yet it is only in the last few decades that most Americans have even heard of them. According to the 2002 National Health Interview Survey–the largest and most comprehensive survey of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by American adults to date–an estimated 2.1 million U.S. adults had used acupuncture in the previous year.
In this country, the success of acupuncture arouses the intellect as it does not fit the paradigm of medicine that most of us hold. As Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) takes root in our terrain, it evolves to adapt to our environment. Its theory - the ideas about nature, the human body and the self - upon which it is based and its therapies including acupuncture, herbs, diet, moxibustion, et.al. are finding their place in the individual’s search for on-going health.
What makes Chinese medicine distinct, even more than its needles and herbs, are its assumptions about reality and the values of life. The imperative is to preserve life by living in harmony with nature, specifically in harmony within one’s body and that body in harmony with its environment. To the extent that we learn to live with nature- with our own nature, each other and the earth – we have freedom, power and purpose and can enjoy life. The ethic of Chinese medicine is to assist us in this striving.
The ancient Chinese perceived human beings as a microcosm of the universe.
The microcosm of the body is linked to the universe and is affected by the daily and seasonal cycles of nature. (Think about the seasonal affective disorder which manifests itself in winter or when the light is not sufficient). The individual and the world are changing all the time. But Chinese believe that these changes are occurring in certain order and in cycles. (We can think about these like our economic cycles or agricultural cycles. A period of growth is always followed by a period of stagnation or unemployment. In the stock market, a bull market is always followed by a bear market etc.) In the same way, a seed planted in spring blooms in summer, seeds itself in late summer to autumn, dies in winter, and a new seed grows again in spring. It is part of a never-ending cycle and each phase has its role to play in maintaining the balance of nature. The same process of change occurs within the body. Cells grow and die to make way for new cells, and body systems depend upon each other in a similar way to the seasons, working together to ensure the balanced functioning of the body, mind and spirit and the healthy flow of life through the whole person. The balance of forces within us (yin-yang, heat-cold, blood-chi) determines our internal climate, our health or disease.
This inclusive view, one of all things connected, harnesses what can be seen and what cannot; what can be touched and what cannot; what can be counted and what cannot. Caring for the human spirit is no less essential or real than caring for the human structure, nor separate from it. Connection and inclusivity are pillars of Chinese medicine. Protecting human life by preserving the conditions within which it thrives is the purpose of Chinese medicine.
As is stated in the Nei Jing, written in the second century B.C., TCM embraces the logic that the best remedy for sickness is prevention.
Maintaining order rather than correcting disorder is the ultimate principle of wisdom. To cure disease after it has appeared is like digging a well when one already feels thirsty, or forging weapons after the war has already begun.
Chinese medicine is just that – striving toward greater integration through the cultivation of chi.
Acupuncture is a technique for unblocking chi (ch’i or qi) by inserting needles at particular points on the body to balance the opposing forces of yin and yang.
Acupuncture needles are metallic, solid, one-use-only and hair-thin. People experience acupuncture differently, but most feel no or minimal pain as the needles are inserted. Some people are energized by treatment, while others feel relaxed.
Chi is an energy that permeates all things. In traditional Chinese medicine, chi or qi (pronounced “chee”) is believed to regulate a person’s spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical balance, and to be influenced by the opposing forces of yin and yang. Chi flows through the body along main pathways called meridians. When yin and yang are in harmony, chi flows freely within the body and a person is healthy. When a person is sick, diseased, or injured, there is an obstruction of chi along one of the meridians. Traditional Chinese medicine has identified some 500 specific points where needles can be inserted for specific effects. Acupuncture is used to regulate or correct the flow of qi to restore health.
The yin and yang is like a candle. Yin represents the wax in the candle. The flame represents the yang. Yin (wax) nourishes and supports the yang (flame). Flame needs the wax for its existence. Yang consumes yin and, in the process, burns brightly. When the wax (yin) is gone, the flame is gone too. Ying is also gone at that time. So, one can see how yin and yang depend on each other for their existence. You cannot have one without the other.
The body, mind and emotions are all subject to the influences of yin and yang. When the two opposing forces are in balance we feel good, but if one force dominates the other, it brings about an imbalance that can result in ill health.
When you go to see a doctor of TCM, she will observe your complexion and look at your tongue, take your pulse and ask you many questions about your symptoms, your eating habits and your food preferences. The physician will come up with a diagnosis and tell you whether you need acupuncture or herbs or both and what foods are good for you to eat.
Any decision you make about your health care is important–including deciding whether to use acupuncture. If you have questions or want to talk to other patients of Dr. Lei, please feel free to contact her at 501-312-9888. Patient references are available.
Is acupuncture safe?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners in 1996. The FDA requires that sterile, nontoxic needles be used and that they be labeled for single use by qualified practitioners only.