Examining Acupuncture - Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture, along with other branches of Chinese medicine, was developed in China many centuries ago. Acupuncture, or "needle heat", is from the Chinese who call it Zhue Jiao. The needle regulates "Qi", an inner force that is responsible for the health of the body. Controlling Qi by the use of acupuncture helps to promote physical and mental health by relieving stress. Pathways of Qi energy should flow freely in a healthy person and any symptoms of illness will indicate any barriers to this movement. When the Qi energy is flowing freely everything that the cells need is provided for. This improves physical as well as mental health. If Qi is blocked at any point symptoms will appear indicating illness.

The intention of the needle positioning is to regain an optimum flow of energy. The number of treatments needed will be influenced by this analysis. Acupuncture is used in China as a means of maintaining a healthy body rather than
Regular visits to an acupuncture clinic are seen as a way of maintaining optimum health in China. The Chinese acupuncture practitioner only gets paid as long as his clients maintain good health.

Electric stimulation, burning and herbs are also forms of acupuncture that are used. Traditional acupuncture is implemented using solid needles, unlike Western doctors who use hollow tubes. Licensed practitioners of acupuncture in the west use pre-sterilized disposable needles. Usually, the needles alone manipulate the Qi energy with no medication used. The patients needs signal whether the needles are manipulated or introduced at a particular angle.

As well as seeking treatment when suffering from illness or disease acupuncture can be used as a preventative treatment by maintaining optimum health. Each problem associated with your physical or mental health may need several appointments or just the one or two dependant on the illness. At each subsequent stage of your treatment different locations will be used for needle insertion as your health improves. The change in the Qi energy is affected by these different locations hastening the improvement to optimum health. The depth of needle insertion varies dependant on the course of treatment. Sometimes the needles can be inserted up to a depth of three inches and at other times just beneath the surface of the skin. As the needles are inserted most patients experience no pain. When the needle is inserted some clients remark of an occasional pinching sensation.
The needle can easily be forgotten once it is in place. Sensations of a warm and relaxed nature will be experienced at the insertion point when the Qi energy is being directed properly.

A number of physical or mental illnesses can be corrected by the use of acupuncture. Considering acupuncture as a health option is becoming more popular in the western world. Modern medicine practises have been become more attuned to the benefits of acupuncture and Chinese medicine in recent years.