Western societies had been practicing acupuncture as part of their medical mainstream for over two thousand years. That being said, there remains confusion regarding its scientific explanation of how acupuncture really works. It lacks proper learnings between science and medical practices on which we will conceptualize in the rest of this post.

What is Acupuncture?

Chinese people introduced acupuncture more than 2500 years ago believing that there is called “qi” supplying energy force to the body. The energy will flow through meridians throughout the body. When the qi is blocked, there is a probability of having illnesses. That is when acupuncture enters the scene to clear out blockages by embedding fine needles on the body.

Acupuncture Methods

Acupuncture practice has different methods of treatment that come with theoretical bases. It includes:

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Among the acupuncture methods in Western countries, TCM is the most common. It requires enough amount of needles than Korean and Japanese acupuncture. There are 12 main meridians, with 8 exceptional meridians and up to 400 acupoints.

Korean Hand Acupuncture

This method believes that human hands are the microcosm of the whole body. Meaning, every part of the body has a connection to certain points of the hand. A disease can be easily detected through discolored and painful points. Then, acupuncture is the only way to stimulate acupoints.

Auricular Acupuncture

Did you notice how our ears shaped like a curled-up fetus? During the 1950s, an expert has discovered acupoints on the human ear that corresponds to other body parts. They focus on pain control and additions.

Medical Acupuncture

Some doctors do perform acupuncture for medical purposes. They undergo specialty practice and many more training to correctly apply acupuncture.

 Dry Needling

This one differs from typical acupuncture and is performed by physiotherapists. It is used to cure the pain of injuries with the use of needles. Place the needles on the affected parts of the body, also called tender spots. It will directly go to the hurt muscle unlike what the meridian theory is saying.

5 Several ways of sticking needles

Putting needles on the body should not be done carelessly, it might cause harm. These are ways on how to stimulate points:

Twirling

After setting up the needle in place, it must be rotated for increased stimulation.

Electroacupuncture

The use of a mild current is applied during stimulation.

Laser Acupuncture

A laser is used for stimulating process.

Acupressure

Aside from the acupuncture itself, there is an external force using fingers and other materials in stimulating acupoints.

Moxibustion

A mugwort herb is burnt to be placed over the acupuncture points.

Keep in Mind

There is still no scientific research concerning acupuncture treatment, despite other medical professionals accepted it. That is a big concern to keep in mind.

Critics about the qi and meridians vary in huge amounts. These uncertainties are not surprising since acupuncture practice develops over time. New discoveries may outmode the older issues. The history was not even clear about auricular acupuncture.

All medical personnel prefer credible explanations than just theories. In theory, acupuncture may relieve you from pain but in reality, there are lots of things needed to be explained like the effects on overall health.

How does it work?

According to reviews on acupuncture studies conducted in 1979, the usefulness of acupuncture changes over time. It started from curing over 20 ailments and the list continues in the succeeding years.

The studies have improved by the means of control measures in practicing acupuncture. Telescopic needles are discovered to easily position on correct acupoints. It had improved quality due to nonstop studies.

Treating chronic neck pain is where acupuncture leaves the best evidence. Positive effects are found compared to other chronic illnesses. Control and acupuncture differ modestly and can be compared by reflecting on clinician decisions.

Studies in 2009 say acupuncture works to prevent nausea and vomiting during the postoperative period. However, there was not a piece of supporting evidence. Another is for fertility treatments, particularly vitro fertilisation which helps to increase pregnancy rate. Then again, no evidence has been found.

The World Health Organization (WHO), on the other hand, claims that acupuncture really works in some illnesses. To name a few, including headaches, depression, and many more. The issue is that the reviews came from China which is somewhat biased. Since 2014, WHO has been revising the research on medicine related to acupuncture.

Placebo Effect

 The studies about acupuncture have a strong placebo effect which will not stop until there are no clear points. Its effectiveness increases as many believe in acupuncture, it deteriorates the other way. There are successful stories and some are not, which makes this treatment a  bit risky.

Some common risks that might happen are bleeding, bruises, and other serious illnesses like infections and collapsed lungs due to broken needles.

To avoid such risk, medical acupuncturists should do the job. Many are offering acupuncture services and other medical treatments with little fees and charges. The involved practitioners took many years of experience to provide a trusted health care service.  If you are planning to undergo acupuncture, then TCM Centre in Perth is highly recommended. Their acupuncture service comes with ten minutes of Remedial massage for better relief.  They are Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registered.

Conclusion

Acupuncture is a safe treatment method but very risky, with some evidence of serious consequences. Medically trained acupuncturists can provide a desired and proper treatment for those who need it. Make sure they are AHPRA registered by checking their names on the list.

This article has been sponsored by High Jump Digital