The Chinese describe treatment of disease in terms of energy flow through channels called meridians; when one or more of these channels become blocked due to physical, emotional or environmental trauma, disease is the result. Acupuncture is used to clear these channels and restore normal flow and homeostasis, thus resolving or reversing the disease.
This energy (called qi…pronounced “chi”) has not been able to be measured, so many doctors and patients are skeptical of acupuncture because they don’t understand how it works. However, recent studies done in this country reveal that acupuncture activates the spinal cord and various nerve pathways as well as the brain itself, and that it can stimulate the release of many biologically active compounds in the body, so we know it has a physiologic effect. It is defintely not a placebo and, in fact, is commonly used to treat animals, especially dogs, cats and horses.
Acupuncture often benefits conditions that conventional medicine is unable to improve and/or can be used along with conventional therapies for greater benefits. In the TREATMENT GUIDE, you can find out if your condition may respond to acupuncture and also find a nationally certified acupuncturist in your area.
There are many different forms of acupuncture and some forms may help certain conditions better than other forms. Thus, it is important that you ask the acupuncturist if they have treated your conditions and if they have had successful results. In most conditions, acupuncture should start benefiting you within a few treatments and the results are often long lasting.
For more detailed information on acupuncture, please refer to Chapter 4 of the book, BOOM or BUST: Conquering Diseases of Aging or Chapter 2 of the book, BALANCED HEALING: Combining Modern Medicine with Safe and Effective Alternative Methods.