Acupuncture

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Acupuncture (from Lat. acus, "needle" (noun), and pungere, "prick" (verb)) or in a major Chinese dialect, zhen jiu (??), is a technique intended to promote health and well-being, that entails the insertion, into the body of its subject, of very thin needles. These needles are applied by trained practitioners into areas described as "acupuncture points".

acupuncture chart

Ming dynasty acupuncture chart

Acupuncture in China is traced as far back as the 1st millenium BCE, and archeological evidence has been identified with the period of 202 BCE - 220 CE. Its practice spread centuries ago into many parts of Asia; in modern times it is a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and forms of it are also described in the literature of the traditional medicine of India.

In the West, it has adherants (including some medical practitioners), who consider it part of complementary and/or alternative medicine. The traditional theory of acupuncture at least superficially conflicts with Western medical knowledge. The consensus of Western-trained medical doctors and medical-research specialists accepts at least effectiveness as a placebo in some situations,
as of 2004 finds it more effective than placebo acupuncture in relieving pain of osteoarthritis, and
continues research on possible value in various areas of medicine.

Historically, TCM generally presumed that warming an acupuncture point, typically by moxibustion (the burning of mugwort) was a stronger treatment than acupuncture. The term zhen jiu (??), for acupuncture comes from zhen meaning "needle", and jiu meaning "moxibustion". Moxibustion is still used in the 21st century, to degrees that vary among the schools of TCM, including attaching burning mugwort to the needle during acupuncture.

Most modern acupuncturists use disposable stainless steel needles of very fine diameter, sterilized with ethylene oxide or by autoclave.

Theory
Twelve primary channels run vertically, bilaterally, and symmetrically. Each channel corresponds to and connects internally with, one of the twelve Zang Fu. This means that there are six yin and six yang channels. There are three yin and three yang channels on the arm, and three yin and three yang on the leg.

The three yin channels of the hand (Lung, Pericardium, and Heart) begin on the chest and travel along the inner surface of the arm to the hand.

The three yang channels of the hand (Large Intestine, San Jiao and Small Intestine) begin on the hand and travel along the outer surface of the arm to the head.

The three yang channels of the foot (Stomach, Gallbladder, and Bladder) begin on the face, in the region of the eye, and travel down the body and along the outer surface of the leg to the foot.

The three yin channels of the foot (Spleen, Liver and Kidney) begin of the food and travel along the inner surface of the leg to the chest or flank.

The course of each of the twelve channels comprises an internal and an external pathway. The external pathway is what is normally shown on an acupuncture chart and is relatively superficial. All the acupuncture points of a channel lie on its external pathway. The internal pathways are the deep course of the channel where it enters the body cavities. The superficial pathways of he twelve channels describe three complete circuits of the body.

The flow of energy through the meridians is as follows: Lung channel of hand taiyin to Large Intestine channel of hand yangming to Stomach channel of foot yangming to Spleen channel of foot taiyin to Heart channel of hand shaoyin to Small Intestine channel of hand taiyang to Bladder channel of foot taiyang to Kidney channel of foot shaoyin to Pericardium channel of hand jueyin to San Jiao channel of hand shaoyang to Gallbladder channel of foot shaoyang to Liver channel of foot jueyin then back to the Lung channel of hand taiyin

Traditional Chinese medical theory holds that acupuncture works by redirecting qi "vital energy" in the body. Pain or illnesses are treated by attempting to remedy local or systemic accumulations or deficiencies of qi. Pain is considered to indicate blockage or stagnation of the flow of qi, and an axiom of the medical literature of acupuncture is "no pain, no blockage; no blockage, no pain".

While it is claimed by some that there is no physical evidence for the existence of qi or for its claimed effects, and that acupuncture is therefore a pseudoscience or metaphysical belief, many patients experience the sensations of stimulus known in Chinese as "deqi" ("obtaining the qi") This was historically considered to be evidence of effective treatment. Often deqi takes the form of a propagation of sensation along the trajectory of the so-called acupuncture "channels" or meridians. Research into the phenomena of "deqi" has mostly been conducted in China and Japan.

Treatment of acupoints may be performed along the 12 main or 8 extra meridians located throughout the body. 10 of the main meridians are named after organs of the body (Heart, Liver etc.) two after so called body functions (Heart Protector or Pericardium, and San Jiao, "triple heater"). The two most important of the eight "extra" meridians are situated on the midline of the anterior and posterior of the trunk and head.

The acupuncturist will decide which points to treat by thoroughly questioning the patient, and utilizing the diagnostic skills of traditional Chinese medicine, such as observation of the left and right radial pulse.