Comprehending the Ways that Acupuncture Heals

A diseased state can occur in your body as the results of various causes, such as trauma, toxic substances, or dysfunction from the body's internal mechanisms. Our emotional state also can affect the function of a body (and of course, our state of mind is plagued by the physical state of our bodies). Physical and emotional troubles can affect the external part of a body like skin and muscle tissue. Specific points or regions can become painful, tense, or sensitive. Diagnosis and treatment was created by traditional Chinese medicine having a system of therapy. Acupuncture and other traditional therapies affect the body's internal condition by manipulating these outer layers of tissue. Oriental medicine have been using Acupuncture for centuries. Modern medicine is just beginning to explain its effectiveness.

A Modern Medicine Point of view

Here are a few known mechanisms recognized by modern allopathic medicine. Ongoing research suggests other possibilities, which are still being studied.

Biochemical Defense Mechanism: A site of injury in the cellular level is formed when the prick of a acupuncture needle is used. Once a body feels the injury, it releases chemicals vital to cellular repair. In this way, an acupuncture needle insertion initiates both tissue and cellular biochemical defenses. This helps to cut back local inflammation and relieve pain.

Endorphins: Acupuncture and tuina stimulate the body to produce its own pain-relieving chemicals called "endorphins", which are also called "anti-stress hormones."

Gate Control Theory: The spinal cord sends the peripheral pain location to the brain. A mechanism inside the spinal cord, or 'gate' stops pain messages from reaching the brain. The insertion of the thin needles of acupuncture, or the manual manipulation of the tissues, can close this gate, thus lessening the sensation of pain. Endorphins also act on these gates which enable it to block pain.

Electrical Conduction: It has been noted that acupuncture points have dissimilar electrical potentials than other areas of a body. It's not exactly acknowledged why these different electric points exist. Research has suggested that acupuncture affects electrical conduction in the body. Research into this event continues.

Autonomic Nervous System:
The autonomic nervous system is the cause of coordinating and conducting all of a body's involuntary functions. The conserving and healing function of this autonomic nervous system is helped by acupuncture and tuina. They help to turn it on which overrides the fight of flight response. This helps reduce the wear and tear on a body and mind.

Trigger Point Theory: Western doctors have discovered through research we now have particular points of tension within a body. Releasing those points of pressure are effective in relieving musculo-skeletal pain. These points on tension almost match perfectly with the acupuncture points in Chinese remedies. Colorado acupuncturists have been successfully injecting solutions in these Trigger Points. The solutions can be vitamins, saline, or herbal solutions and also have worked well.

An Oriental Medicine Point of view

The traditional account of Oriental medicine's effectiveness is based on an energetic model rather than the biochemical model of western medicine. Ancient oriental physicians proposed that our energetic life-force, called Qi ("Chee") in Chinese, circulates along channels or meridians in the body and links all of a body's parts and functions. Qi is a whole body phenomenon affecting a body along with the mind. Qi helps to keep blood circulating, fights disease and warms the body. When an individual is healthy, Qi flows smoothly through the channels but when, for some reason, the flow is blocked, weak, or excessive, then signs and symptoms and/or illness occurs.

The aim of acupuncture is to repair the flow through the channels by utilizing needles or other techniques. Changes in functions of the body are achieved by doing this. Changes in Qi precede physical change, so acupuncture and tuina can act as precautionary medicine, correcting energy flow before a significant illness occurs. If physical alteration has already occurred, it may be reversed by adjusting the flow of Qi.