According to a recent study of acupuncture and Chinese medicine in the United States, a whopping 8.2 million Americans underwent acupuncture treatment at some point in their lives! Of this huge number, 2.1 million have used it over the past year. James Reston’s 1971 article, The New York Times, presented the idea of using needles to relieve pain, and since then the media throughout Eastern medicine. Of course, Chinese medicine is much more than just a recommended visit to an acupuncture clinic. You have a whole world of herbs and herbal remedies at your disposal.
Many Western doctors are confused about how acupuncture works, and therefore dispute its reality. Nevertheless, there are several theories about why acupuncture and Chinese medicine are, in fact, successful in treating certain diseases. In the theory of "Controlling the Gate," it is believed that slow signals of pain follow the inner path of the body.
Using a needle, we can generate endorphins, which move much faster and push pain signals away. Because slow pain is blocked by pressing and moving signals, the sensation of pain never reaches the brain.
Another Chinese theory is called “electric” theory, which states that the body always discharges a small magnetic energy and that Chinese acupuncture actually works by manipulating the body's electromagnetic fields, changing chemical neurotransmitters in the process. In 1999, British doctors discovered that collagen is a good conductor of electricity. Dr. Mae Won Ho concluded that “conductive water channels that more or less follow collagen fibers can correspond to what are called acupuncture meridians. Thus, when you insert a needle, you give local electrical stimulation, which then allows you to conduct this positive electricity in some remote places. ”
The human response to acupuncture and Chinese medicine is purely personal. Some people feel almost no pain as the needles come in, while some feel pain. Chinese acupuncture invigorates some patients and calms others. Many patients return to more than one course of treatment over time and find that it becomes easier and easier for them.
If they feel some discomfort during a particular session, then they will find out that they pushed themselves too much this week. If we all slowed down and took some time, we would be in a much better shape - both mentally and physically.
