Acupuncture is generally held to have originated in China, being first mentioned in documents dating from a few hundred years leading up to the Common Era. Sharpened stones and bones that date from about 6000 BCE have been interpreted as instruments for acupuncture treatment, but they may simply have been used as surgical instruments for drawing blood or lancing abscesses. Documents discovered in the Ma-Wang-Dui tomb in China, which was sealed in 198 BCE, contain no reference to acupuncture as such, but do refer to a system of meridians, albeit very different from the model that was accepted later. Speculation surrounds the tattoo marks seen on the ‘Ice Man’ who died in about 3300 BCE and whose body was revealed when an Alpine glacier melted. These tattoos might indicate that a form of stimulatory treatment similar to acupuncture developed quite independently of China.
The first document that unequivocally described an organized system of diagnosis and treatment which is recognized as acupuncture is The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, dating from about 100 BCE. The information is presented in the form of questions by the Emperor and learned replies from his minister, Chhi-Po. The text is likely to be a compilation of traditions handed down over centuries, presented in terms of the prevailing Taoist philosophy, and is still cited in support of particular therapeutic techniques. The concepts of channels (meridians or conduits) in which the Qi (vital energy or life force) flowed are well established by this time, though the precise anatomical locations of acupuncture points developed later.
How does acupuncture work?
In spite of a great deal of excellent research designed to answer this question, as yet there are no good, clear, simple answers available. There are, however, a variety of theories that attempt to explain the mechanism of acupuncture. Pain is the area in which most research has been completed, and therefore most of the theories about the mechanism of acupuncture are related to the use of acupuncture in diseases of pain.
In 1965 a theory called the ‘Gate Theory of Pain’ was produced, and for this idea, and others, Drs. Melzack and Wall won scientific acclaim. This theory was the first serious attempt to unify the many ideas that existed about the mechanism that perceives and transmits pain through the nervous system. The Gate Theory states that there are some specific nerve fibers that transmit pain to the spinal cord, whilst the input of other nerve fibers inhibits the transmission of pain. Both of these groups of fibers meet at a sort of ‘micro-chip’ in the spinal cord called the substancia gelatinosa.
The Eastern Explanation for how Acupunctures works is that the life energy flowing through the body which is termed Qi (pronounced chee) can be influenced and balanced by stimulating specific points on the body. These points are located along channels of energy known as meridians that connect all of our major organs. According to Chinese medical theory, illness arises when the cyclical flow of Qi in the meridians becomes unbalanced or is blocked.
The meridians can be influenced by needling the acupuncture points; the acupuncture needles unblock the obstructions at the dams, and reestablish the regular flow through the meridians. Acupuncture treatments can therefore help the body’s internal organs to correct imbalances in their digestion, absorption, and energy production activities, and in the circulation of their energy through the meridians.
Related posts:
- The Actual Top 3 Good Reasons Why You Ought To Take Advantage Of Natural Remedies For Tinnitus Such As Tinnitus Acupuncture For centuries natural remedies have already been employed to heal...
- Pain Information And Solutions Available What are the alternatives when aches and pains strike. This...
- What Are My Low Back Pain Treatment Alternatives? It is pretty safe to assume that we all know...
- Natural Tinnitus Remedy – Discovering the Right Treatment For You The reality is that nobody likes to be ill or...
- Top 3 Tips on how to Induce Natural Labor in Pregnant Mothers For Pregnant Mothers who are past their anticipated delivery date,...