Historically acupuncture was practiced with bian stones, wood or bone needles and metal needles. With the advances in recent medicines, the fine acupuncture needles can be used directly or adding electrical impulses, vibrations, sound waves and lasers to it.

Acupuncture Seattle is a Chinese form of alternative medicine that has been traditionally used since more than 4000 years and recently gained popularity amongst the western countries. It involves insertion of needles into particular points on the body to restore health and treat various diseases. The exact mechanism of acupuncture is still obscure though the therapy has achieved a new dimension by its effective blend with modern techniques to treat various illnesses. The theories put forth regarding the working of acupuncture are as:

Traditional Chinese Theory of Acupuncture- Interrupted or deficient flow of chi energy is considered to cause various disorders. Traditional acupuncture seeks to relieve these blocked channels by insertion of thin needles along the specific acupuncture points.

Augmentation of Immunity Theory of Acupuncture- The theory suggests that acupressure boosts the overall immunity of the body to fight disease by raising the levels of antibodies, prostaglandins and white blood cells.

Gate Control Theory for Pain of Acupuncture- Melzack and Wall introduced this theory in early 1960’s. As per the theory the brain perceives the pain depending upon the signals that reach it through the nerve gates in the spinal cord. Through acupuncture the nerve gates inhibit the transmission of pain stimuli and stimulate the pain relieving nerve fibres.

Endorphin Theory of Acupuncture- Endorphins are chemicals in the central nervous system that act as pain inhibitors. Acupuncture triggers the release of hormones endorphin, enkephalin and serotonin that display pain-relieving properties.

Electrical theory of Acupuncture- As per this theory acupuncture regulates the electromagnetic energy in the body. These electrical discharges stimulate the functions and development of body cells. Medical research has documented the correlatives between meridians and the electromagnetic field.

Circulation Theory- Needles used in acupressure act by constricting or dilating the blood vessels that improves blood circulation.

Recent clinical trials on acupuncture suggest a hypothesis that diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC) has some role to play in causing an analgesic effect. This means that acupuncture induces an analgesic system within the body that cannot perceive the pain even in the presence of pain signals.

Though there are many theories put forth to explain how acupuncture works, none of them can satisfactorily explain it with the help of western model of medicine. However, effects of acupuncture are far from placebo results and it has been used as a best pain control therapy in chronic illnesses. It also helps in treating, immune disorders, psychological illnesses and addictions.

Causes or triggers include loss – fear of loss and/or memory of loss. Repressed expression and other life events also cause restriction of the flow of Qi and blood in the center/upper body. This is called Liver Q1 Stagnation. Heat in the heart is over stimulation that is marked by anxiety, insomnia, and other serious conditions. Panic attacks, heart arrhythmia, and some forms of anxiety are also triggered by Liver Q1 Stagnation. Treating Liver Q1 Stagnation is done by releasing the Q1 in the chest drugs can help but push-ups work as well as Prozac.

Chinese herbs are used to ease Depression Symptoms including Anxiety. Alone Chinese herbs have a mild affect on depressive symptoms. Together with other herbs specific to treating Depression are very powerful.

Some examples of Chinese herbs include Chai Hau- Bupleurum a surface relieving herb. It is used to treat colds. With a bit of mint added to it the effect is greater. He Huan Pi- He Huan Hua is Mimosa bark/flower (albezzia) is a heart nourishing herb. When it is combined with Dun Shen (Salvia Miltorrhiza) a very powerful result occurs. Other Chinese herbs such as Poria-fu shen, red Dates (Hung Zao), and Wheat Berries are also herbs used in Chinese Medicine Treatments- Depression.

Borrowed from the West, the Chinese use anti-depressant medications in treating Depression. They use many of the same drugs that Western medicine uses. The results are likely similar as well.

Herbal supplements include the herbs Chamomile, Milk Thistle and Valerian to name just a few. These herbs and others known to ease Depression are blended with vitamins, minerals, and other nutritive substances. They must be made to pharmaceutical standards.

They must also test the ingredients’ metabolism at the molecular level and test the interactions of the ingredients. This is to guarantee their potency, effectiveness, purity, and safety.

Saratoga Springs Chinese medicine treatments for depression consist of specific herbs and anti-depressants. Depression is believed to be a heart problem because emotions can cause chest constriction. Anti-depressants are used in treating Depression.

Many sufferers turn to medications throughout the season despite the common side effects of drowsiness, dryness, dizziness, fatigue, insomnia, nervousness, and digestive disturbance. There’s also immune system suppression and the risk of becoming medication-dependent to worry about. Worse still, the Western treatment of allergies treats only the symptoms and not the root cause. Those seeking a natural and effective alternative need search no further than Chinese medicine.

In Chinese medicine such as Seattle acupuncture the strategy behind treatment is alleviating the acute symptoms as well as correcting the root energetic imbalance causing those symptoms. The symptoms of allergies are most often related to underlying disharmonies involving wei qi, or defensive energy, phlegm or dampness, and the lung, spleen, and kidney energy systems, all of which I explain below.

Wei Qi and Lung Qi: In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), illness prevention begins with a protective layer around the exterior of the body called wei qi, or defensive energy. A strong and healthy wei qi is the body’s initial protection against all external pathogens. If the defensive energy is weak, “wind pathogens” transmitted through the air will enter the body, so a combination of a wind-born pathogen and a deficiency of the protective wei qi is a recipe for illness. People with wei qi deficiency catch colds easily, and allergy symptoms may be particularly bad in the spring or fall seasons which are generally windy. Patients with seasonal allergies, chronic cough and/or recurrent colds and flu are also likely to have Lung deficiency, since wei qi and immune function are part of the lung energy. Lung qi controls the domain of skin, lungs, nose, sinuses, and respiratory passages.

Spleen Qi: Behind every weak immune system is a deficiency of the spleen qi, part of the digestive system. It is the job of the spleen to make healthy qi from food. If the spleen qi is weak, it is not able to efficiently digest food and make a healthy quality of energy to distribute to all systems of the body. The immune system suffers and spleen qi deficiency is usually accompanied by dampness; Due to this fluids fail to metabolize and often end up turning to excess phlegm and mucus. Spleen Qi vacuity with Dampness is a common underlying condition with allergy symptoms.

Kidney Qi: Since kidney energy is the root of constitutional and all other energy systems in the body, it is usually related to imbalances involving deficiency. Especially when allergies, asthma, or frequent or chronic respiratory illness are problems since childhood, the kidney energy must be addressed. It is also important to note that kidney energy is damaged by long-term medication use.

After eight weeks of treatment the researchers found that all forms of acupuncture individualized, standardized and simulated reduced back-related dysfunction compared with usual care (acupuncture reduced score by about 4.5 points and usual care by 2.1 points on a 23-point scale). There was no statistically significant difference between the three acupuncture groups. There was little change in scores between eight and 52 weeks, with no difference between the acupuncture groups, and the usual care group continuing to have worse dysfunction than the acupuncture groups.

The researchers conclude that although acupuncture did reduce chronic low back pain, whether or not needle sites were tailored to the individual patient or whether the needles actually pierced the skin did not appear to be important.

They say this brings into question how acupuncture is thought to have an effect, and that it is still unclear whether acupuncture actually has a biological effect or whether it acts as a placebo. They conclude that acupuncture may be a reasonable option for doctors and patients looking for a relatively safe and effective treatment, especially as conventional treatments for chronic low back pain are often ineffective.

The strengths of this study include its randomized allocation of participants into treatment groups, the inclusion of a credible ‘sham’ acupuncture treatment as well as a usual care control group and a high level of follow-up for a long period of time. Its findings suggest that although acupuncture may reduce back-related dysfunction, this may not be due to biological effects. There are some points to note:

• The study included people with uncomplicated chronic low back pain with no serious identifiable cause. As such, the results may not apply to people with acute low back pain (for less than three months) or low back pain from other identified causes, including those with nerve root pain and sciatica.
• It is possible that simulated acupuncture does have some biological effect, and this may explain why no differences between the acupuncture methods were found.
• The New York acupuncture used in the study used only needles and involved minimal interaction between the acupuncturist and patient, therefore the results may not be representative of effects that would be seen with acupuncture including more interaction or other aspects of treatment, such as applying electrical currents through the needles.

His work in the 1950’s eventually was presented at a conference in Germany, and gained the interest of researchers in China. The Chinese continued to try to find points on the ear which corresponded to areas on the body, and they used small seeds or needles to stimulate these points in the hopes of affecting pain and other disorders.

Ear acupuncture is one of several “holographic” systems which theorize that the entire body can be represented in miniature within the body itself.  In Japan, Dr. Yamamoto has developed a theory of scalp acupuncture based on this concept, and he has taught this approach to several groups of acupuncturists and physicians in the U.S.

In a similar fashion, a form of hand acupuncture developed in Korea theorizes that all of the 12 primary channels and two of the secondary channels of traditional Chinese acupuncture are represented on the hand. Very small needles or magnets are used to treat these points with the goal of achieving the same result as treating the body points used by traditional acupuncturists.

Chinese physicians have even theorized a system of “nose” acupuncture (which I have not personally investigated) which utilizes points on the nose to treat problems in other areas of the body.

The benefits of ear acupuncture and stimulation of points on the ears with small magnets, seeds, and beads have yet to be studied in depth. I have found ear points to be useful occasionally as an adjunct to treatment of the body, though it is difficult to say how much clinical effect ear stimulation contributes when other components of Oriental medicine are utilized in addition.

In the brain, there are larger representations of head and hand in association with actual brain structures than there are representations of other areas of the body. Because of the importance of facial expression and finger coordination in humans, stimulation of these areas may have increased potency when compared with other areas of the body. This may also be the reason why face, scalp and hand acupuncture have their effectiveness.

Certainly Dr. Nogier investigated an intriguing and seemingly effective folk practice. Any low risk procedure that offers the promise of relief should be investigated, but the long term value of ear stimulation in pain control and to reduce appetite has not been rigorously studied.

If you are interested in experimenting to see if ear stimulation can help the problem you are having, I suggest you try massaging the ear in the areas indicated on the chart with sesame oil, and see if you think there is a benefit. A fingernail or a dull probe, such as the tip of a ball point pen, might be used to press a particular point for 7-15 seconds to see if you note a benefit. Don’t press to the point of extreme pain, but some discomfort is to be expected when stimulating the ear. Try stimulation twice or three times a day to see if you note any difference in the duration, intensity, or frequency of discomfort.

If you find some value in ear stimulation, you may either continue massage on a regular basis, or you may attempt to focus in on a particular point on the ear. Expert acupuncturists will use a small needle at the point, or tape a small bead (like a tiny jewelry bead), or a seed, or even a small Korean hand magnet at the point

The needle certainly stays in place more easily than the tape, but must be removed if it is uncomfortable or if any signs of infection develop. Practically speaking, it is difficult to maintain any tape on the complex and flexible surfaces of the ear. Taped products such as the “acubeads” offer a convenient method of experimenting with ear stimulation if you can afford the expense.

Taking the help of acupuncture for stress relief can help you find reprieve from physical symptoms, such as tense muscles, muscular pains, high blood pressure, etc. Acupuncture leaves the body feeling calm and relaxed. An added benefit of acupuncture is that it improves the circulation of the blood throughout the body.

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese healing art. Acupuncturists believe that energy flows through the body system through channels called meridians. This energy is referred to as Qi or Chi. Stress causes an imbalance in the body’s energy and causes it to flow improperly. The Qi can become blocked and stagnant. It must be unblocked and enabled to flow freely in order to restore harmonious balance in the body.

Acupuncture involves inserting fine needles at very precise pressure points throughout the body. The needles stimulate the body’s natural healing processes in its energy system. By stimulating the proper acupressure points, the Qi can flow freely, thereby alleviating stress induced mental and physical symptoms.

Acupuncture is perfectly safe when performed by an experienced licensed practitioner. Acupuncturists are trained in the proper methods of treatment and all instruments are sterilized to prevent any risk of infection.

The Food and Drug Administration approves non-toxic needles made for single use application. Needles are used only for acupuncture treatments. The majority of people who undergo acupuncture feel no pain at all. A small percentage may feel very minimal pain. Bleeding rarely occurs.

A typical acupuncture session may last for 30 to 60 minutes. The patient generally becomes very relaxed during the treatment and may even fall asleep.

Regular acupuncture treatments can help strengthen your body so you’re better able to deal with the day-to-day stresses of life. Acupuncture can also leave you feeling refreshed and energized.

Regular acupuncture treatments can help heal stress related health conditions and improve the body’s immunity to defend against potential illnesses.

In fact, in some cases, acupuncture that is being used to treat one condition can actually help detect another, more severe illness that had not been previously identified. In such cases, acupuncture aids in early diagnosis and treatment.

In another capacity, acupuncture, by alleviating stress and strengthening the body, can serve as a form of preventive measure against illness.

Acupuncture treats the mind and body as a whole system. Conventional medicine has come to accept that the mind affects the body. Stress is a perfect example of the interrelated connection between the body and mind – any perceived threat triggers a fight or flight response in your mind as well the body. The holistic approaches, like acupuncture for stress and anxiety relief, are most suitable for treating stress related health conditions.

Remember, acupuncture is just one method of relieving stress. It’s also important to learn positive and productive ways to cope with stress on a daily basis, thereby making the stress work for you rather than against you.

Find your own combination of de-stressing methods that work for you, and use them often to enjoy a happier and healthier life.

It is almost impossible to predict how a patient will respond to acupuncture. Very occasionally, one treatment is all that is required, whereas other people may need a number of treatments to gain the same result for the same disease. In general most people, and their problems, do not respond magically to one treatment, and between 5 and 10 treatment sessions may be required in order to obtain the best results from acupuncture.

Acupuncture usually works in stages. The first 2 or 3 treatments represent a process of “understanding the needs of the patient”, and are therefore a sort of experiment designed to assess the specific requirements for that person in that particular condition. Some people respond to classical body or ear acupuncture, whereas others respond better to acupuncture with electricity or moxabition. This partially reflects the skill of the acupuncturist in the use of specific techniques, but it also represents the fact that the body responds in a slightly different way to different stimuli.

If there has been no response to treatment after the first 5 sessions, then it is doubtful whether any response will occur. However, sometimes improvement may be much delayed and symptoms may not clear until the treatment ceased. Occasionally patients, who have been abandoned, with no improvement after three weeks, will suddenly find improvement some weeks after cessation of acupuncture.

Although in China acupuncture is given daily, acupuncturists in the West tend to treat people on a weekly basis. After 10 years of practice in the West, we notice that the best plan is twice treatments in the first 2 weeks then followed by weekly basis.

Many clinical reports claim that acupuncture can have a curative effect in the treatment of conditions like acute injuries, but there is no evidence to support that acupuncture can reverse the damaged structure, like osteoarthritis, to normal. Although majority of patients get a long-term relief of the symptoms after acupuncture, it doesn’t mean that their bodies have already gone back to normal, the problems they suffered before will possible recur later on. The traditional Chinese approach is to attempt to maintain the patient in a state of health, and regular one-monthly treatment patterns for those who with chronic problems, like osteoarthritis, may therefore be justified. However, most people who with non-chronic conditions, we usually treat them when symptoms recur.

Sometimes the patient may experience a temporary worsening of symptoms due to acupuncture; this response to treatment and in general is a good sign, usually only lasting for a day or two and being followed by improvement.

After an initial evaluation the acupuncturist should provide you with a treatment plan that includes the modalities to be used as well as the frequency and duration of treatment.

According to the World Health Organization suggests that acupuncture as an effective treatment for more than forty medical problems which includes respiratory conditions, allergies, nervous conditions, nose and throat, and childhood illnesses, among others. Aside from that, acupuncture has been used to treat alcohol addiction and substance abuse. It is an effective and low-cost treatment for headaches and acute and chronic pain, associated with problems like back injuries and arthritis. Acupuncture has been used to supplement invasive Western treatments like surgery and chemotherapy and it is generally most effective when used as prevention or before a health condition becomes acute.

The Yellow Emperor’s Classic Internal Medicine is the original text of Chinese medicine and it is almost 2,500 years old. Since then, Thousands of books have been written on the subject of Chinese healing, and its basic philosophies spread long ago to other Asian civilizations. In the West today, nearly all forms of Oriental medicine are used like acupressure massage, acupuncture, shiatsu and macrobiotics which all have roots in Chinese medicine. According to legend, acupuncture was developed by early Chinese physicians who have observed unpredicted effects of puncture wounds in many Chinese warriors. The Systematic Classic of Acupuncture dates back to 282 A.D are the oldest known text on acupuncture. Chinese medicine traditionally utilizes herbal remedies, dietary therapy, lifestyle changes and other means to treat patients but acupuncture is its best known technique.

Only a few Western physicians in the early 1900s, who have visited China, were fascinated by acupuncture. Outside the Asian-American communities, acupuncture became unknown until the 1970s when Richard Nixon became the first U.S. president to visit China. During Nixon’s trip, journalists were astonished to observe major operations being performed on patients without the use of anesthetics. Patients were being operated wide awake with only acupuncture needles inserted into them to control pain. A famous columnist for the New York Times, James Reston who was with President Nixon during the trip had to undergo surgery and elected to use acupuncture instead of pain medication, and he wrote some convincing stories on its success.

Nowadays, Boulder acupuncture is being practiced in all 50 states by over 9,000 practitioners and 4,000 of which are MDs including it in their practices. Acupuncture has shown notable accomplishment in treating many conditions and 15 million Americans have used it as a therapy but in some cases acupuncture remains largely unsupported by the medical establishment. The American Medical Association has been resistant to researching it, as it is based on concepts very different from the Western scientific model.

There are several forms of acupuncture being used today in America. Japanese acupuncture uses extremely thin needles and does not incorporate herbal medicine in its practice. Auricular acupuncture uses acupuncture points only on the ear, which are believed to stimulate and balance internal organs. In France, where acupuncture is very popular and more accepted by the medical establishment, neurologist Paul Nogier developed a system of acupuncture based on neuroendocrine theory rather than on traditional Chinese concepts, which is gaining some use in America.

• The Hegu is the Large Intestine Meridian. This point is found on the back side of the hand between the first finger and the thumb.
• The Lieque is the Lung Meridian. This point is located above the wrist on the inside of the arm. It is used to treat disorders of the upper body like headache, cough, asthma, neck stiffness, sore throat and wrist problems.
• The Zusanli is the Stomach Meridian and is located on the front of the leg just below the knee. It is helpful digestive problems like nausea and vomiting.
• The Sanyinjiao is the Spleen Meridian and it is located on the inner side of the leg just above the ankle. This point is valuable for treating hormonal disorders and immune disorders.
• The Fengchi is the Gallbladder Meridian and it is the point located at the base of the skull where it joins the neck and back. It is used for treating acute disorders such as influenza, common cold, and fever and neck pain. Plus, it relaxes the tension in the area of the eyes.
• The Taichong id known as the Liver Meridian and this is the point located on the top of the foot between the first and second toes. This point is used to balance the emotional energy.
• The Neiguan is the Pericardium Meridian and it is located on the inner arm just above the wrist. Similar to other meridian points, this is useful for cardiac disorders.
• The Shenmen is the heart meridian and this point is located on the outer side of the wrist. This is used to treat a variety of mental problems such as insomnia, depression and many others.
• The Wiizhong is the urinary Bladder Meridian. This point can be found at the back of the knee and is used for treating back pain.
• The Taixi is the Kidney Meridian located just behind the inner ankle. Used for several disorders in the body such as toothache and sore throat.
• The Waiguan is the Triple Burner Meridian and is considered to be a special type of organ system that spans the entire torso.
• The Houxi is the Small Intestine Meridian located on the side of the hand below the little finger.
• The Balihui is the Governing Vessel point located at the top of the head and is traditionally applied for treating a variety of mental disorders and for other problems that occur in the head.
• The Guanyuan is the Cenception Vessel and the point located a little below the navel. It is used to treat all forms of lower abdominal disorders.

The practice of acupuncture is rooted in Chinese philosophy that dates back almost 8,000 years. This philosophy revolved around the idea that harmony need to be found between opposing forces in the world, such as the living and the dead or good and evil. The methods for performing acupuncture were first put into a book called the Nei Ching Su Wen in China approximately 2,000 years ago. The problem is that the authorship of the text has never been clearly established so dating the text accurately has proven to be difficult.

What is Acupuncture?

To understand acupuncture, you need to understand one of the main ideas in Chinese medicine: the yin and the yang. These are those opposing forces which are at the center of the philosophy behind acupuncture. Good health requires that these forces be balanced. When the body has too much of either force, the vital energy known as qi is blocked. To unblock these areas, the small needles are inserted at a key point known as an acupuncture point. According to practitioners, more than 2,000 of these points are present on the human body.

Acupuncture in the West

The practice of acupuncture originated in China but did spread throughout most of Asia, including Korea and Japan. However, the practice did not reach the United States until 1971. During that year, a reporter for the New York Times had surgery which left him in a lot of pain. While he was in China, he visited acupuncture practitioners who used their needles to give him relief. After he wrote about these acupuncture practices, interest in this ancient Chinese treatment skyrocketed in the West. As of 2002, more than 8 million Americans have used acupuncture at some point in their lives. About 2 million people go to a practitioner every year. The practice is very safe if you choose a reputable practitioner who follows standard safety procedures, such as using sterilized needles.

Effectiveness of Acupuncture

As a vital part of Chinese medicine, acupuncture is believed to alleviate many health problems. Western research has been difficult to conduct effectively but patients have reported pain relief after surgeries, from lower back problem, from headaches, from fibromyalgia, and from osteoarthritis. Acupuncture has also been shown to reduce nausea and discomfort after chemotherapy treatments.