acupuncture

Acupuncture (from Latin where acus indicates needle and pungere indicates to pierce) is the Western term for a traditional Chinese method of treatment. It is based upon the physiological principle that there is an inherent vital energy or chi which flows in specific channels or meridians throughout the body.

Although Western medicine has not found anatomical or histological proof of these channels, the specific points of sensitivity along these channels are well known to all clinicians. During acupuncture fine needles are placed in specific points along the body’s meridians. In Western countries acupuncture is mostly used to relieve pain and fatigue. In the East, however, it is an all-round treatment system for medical as well as psychological conditions. Functionally acupuncture is known to influence certain fibres in the spinal cord to increase the release of opioids and serotonin in the brain (neurotransmitters or messenger chemicals which reduce pain sensitivity). Needling of certain points also influences neurotransmitters in the brain which are involved in mood and motivation. For example, needling of the Shenmen or Heart 7 (HT7) points on both sides of the body reduces the release of dopamine in the brain.