Based on the latest study of Chinese medicine and acupuncture in the United States, a staggering 8.3 million Americans experienced some form of acupuncture treatment at some point in their lives! Out of that enormous number, 2.2 million underwent the treatment within the past year. In 1971, an article written by New York Times columnist James Reston presented the concept of utilizing needles to remove pain and since then, the media has not stopped talking about Eastern medicine. Obviously, there’s a lot more to Chinese medicine than an advised consultation with an acupuncturist. There is also a world of herbal remedies and herbal medicines at your disposal.
A lot of Western trained physicians are wondering as to how acupuncture truly works. Because of this skepticism, they dispute the treatment’s validity. However, several theories abound as to why Chinese medicine and acupuncture has been very successful at curing certain diseases. A theory known as the “Gate Control” theory, believes that pain signal that move slowly follow the internal highway of the body. When one inserts a needle into the skin, endorphins are created and released. They move much quicker than the pain signals and so overtake and push the pain signals out of the way. As a result, the pain signals do not reach the brain and so this means no pain sensation is felt in the body.
The “Electrical” theory is another Chinese theory stating that the body is continuously discharging very light electromagnetic charges. Acupuncture works by manipulating these electromagnetic fields and in the process changes the chemistry of the neurotransmitters. British physicians in 1999 discovered that collagen was a good conductor of electricity. According to Dr. Mae Won Ho “the type of water channel conductors that follow the collagen fibers may be related to the energy channels of the acupuncture meridians. Thus, when a needle is stuck into the skin, the needle generates an electrical stimulation locally that then causes this positive electricity to be transmitted to some distant areas of the body.”
An individual’s response to Chinese medicine and acupuncture is purely personal. As the needles go in, there are those who may feel very little to no pain, while some may feel soreness. Some patients are invigorated by acupuncture while some feel extremely calm and relaxed. There are patients who return for more than a single treatment and find that over time, the procedure gets easier and easier.
Acupuncture Plus
11851 Jollyville Rd #102
Austin, TX 78759
(512) 453-5352
https://www.acupuncturistaustin.com/