Acupuncture
How does Acupuncture work?
Using TCM we can explain how and why acupuncture works and the rationale
behind particular point selections. However, TCM is not firmly grounded
in modern conventional science. There is considerable evidence to suggest
that acupuncture points are important in special areas of the body, particularly
in pain. Research in the 1970s has shown clearly that over 70% of trigger
or "ouch" points occurring in painful diseases were already
defined as acupuncture points by the Chinese. Furthermore, many forms
of therapy, particularly for disease of the muscles, bones and joints,
rely on the fact that stimulating or needling these trigger points can
relieve pain. We also know that acupuncture points have special electrical
properties, in that they have a lower electrical resistance than the
surrounding skin. However, no scientific evidence has yet been provided
to prove (or disprove) the existence of the channels.
Acupuncture is used in the West primarily for painful conditions, so
the majority of research into the mechanism of acupuncture has been orientated
towards this area. The gate control theory, developed by Melzack and
Wall in 1965, states that the input of pain via small nerve fibres can
be inhibited within the spinal cord by the stimulation of large nerve
fibres. Acupuncture has been shown to stimulate large diameter nerve
fibres, thereby 'closing the gate' to pain and blocking pain perception.
The discovery of endorphins and enkephalins (the body's own natural opiates)
has also strengthened the position of acupuncture as a treatment for
pain. It has been shown by a number of studies that acupuncture causes
the release of these naturally occurring opiates into various areas of
the central and peripheral nervous system. While there is good evidence
for the mechanisms underlying the effect of acupuncture in both acute
and chronic pain, there are to date no theories which explain how acupuncture
might work in non-painful conditions such as asthma.
What does treatment involve?
Before you actually receive treatment, the acupuncturist will want to
take a history in order to make a clear diagnosis of your condition;
this may involve a traditional Chinese history as well as a Western diagnosis
depending on the skills and techniques of your acupuncturist.
In skilled hands, acupuncture treatment is a relatively painless procedure.
You may notice a temporary worsening of your condition, but this usually
indicates that an effective response will occur later in the treatment.
Treatment usually works in stages, in that the first one or two treatments
may produce no effect or perhaps only a transitory effect. A course of
six to eight sessions is usually required for effective symptom relief.
When such relief has been obtained, it often lasts for three to nine
months when one or two further treatments will "top-up" the
therapeutic benefit.
When the acupuncture needles are actually inserted, they are usually
left in place for between 15 and 30 minutes and often the acupuncturist
will try and manipulate the needles so that you will feel a dull bursting
or numb sensation around their site of insertion. This sensation is called
"de qi" or "obtaining energy" and traditionally it
is suggested that “de qi” may be an important part of the
treatment process. Sometimes your acupuncturist may use other methods
of stimulating the acupuncture point, for instance moxibustion, which
is the burning of the herb Artemesia vulgaris just above the surface
of the skin or on the end of a needle, or placing a cup over the acupuncture
point.
