Acupuncture
Acupuncture
is an important part of
Traditional Chinese Medicine, and has been so for
centuries. In the intervening years, scholars and practitioners have developed
and refined this form of medicine. Although it is a very ancient form of
traditional medicine it is still as relevant today as it ever was.
Acupuncture aims to rebalance the energy of the body so that it can deal appropriately with the stresses and strains of daily life. The treatment is useful for treating many different conditions, including stress, insomnia, digestive problems, headaches, menstrual problems, joint and muscular pains, tiredness and respiratory conditions.
Although the development of science and technology has brought great progress in recent decades, modern medicine still provides no effective treatment for many diseases and disorders. As a result Traditional Chinese Medicine (which includes acupuncture), is gaining increasing international recognition. The wide indications, effectiveness, safety and simplicity of acupuncture offer ideal treatment for a wide variety of disorders.
It is said that during the Wudi period (2600-2200 B.C.) there was severe flooding in the country, which brought disaster to the people. Emperor Yao appointed his minister Gun to harness the river and control the flood. Gun's attempts to obstruct the flood by erecting dykes and dams failed. Gun's son Yu, was appointed by the Emperor to continue his fathers work. Drawing a lesson from his fathers failure, Yu dredged canals according to the landscape and physical features of the surrounding terrain, to lead the water to the sea. After thirteen years of hard work the floods subsided. Until the present day Yu is praised for his work, which brought the floods under control.
Chinese acupuncture is based on the theory that the microcosm (the human body) reflects the macrocosam (the universe). They compared the meridians (or channels) of the human body to the earths rivers and the qi and blood flowing through the meridians as the rivers' waters. These meridians are activated by the use of acupuncture needles in specific points to remove 'obstructions' and promote the flow or qi and blood ,just as the rivers were dredged to manage the flood.
This form of medicine uses extremely fine needles, sterile and disposable, inserted painlessly into specific points on the body. For those who do not wish to have needles, then treatment can also be given using tui-na (Chinese massage) or acupressure. These alternate forms of the treatment are especially useful when treating children. Acupuncture can also be used in conjunction with Herbal Medicine.