A to Z of Therapies
Acupunture
December 2nd, 2008
Acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and dates back thousands of years. And today, acupuncture is an effective, natural and increasingly popular form of health care that is being used by people from a wide range of cultural and social backgrounds.
Health problems are treated by the insertion of fine needles into the body at specific points. These points have been mapped out over two thousand years and have more recently been confirmed through electromagnetic research.
Although often described as a means of pain relief, Acupuncture is in fact used to treat people with a wide range of illnesses. Its focus is on improving the overall well being of the patient, rather than the isolated treatment of specific symptoms. According to traditional Chinese philosophy, our health is dependent on the body's motivating energy - known as Qi - moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of meridians (channels) beneath the skin.
Qi consists of equal and opposite qualities - Yin and Yang - and when these become unbalanced, illness may result. By inserting fine needles into the channels of energy, an acupuncturist can stimulate the body's own healing response and help restore its natural balance.
American Association of Oriental Medicine
http://www.aaom.org
A to Z of Therapies
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