Eastern Vs. Western Acupuncture: Explained
Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the science-minded west has finally officially acknowledged this ancient eastern wisdom as an effective therapy for all sorts of ailments. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recently conducted studies that conclude acupuncture is effective either alone or as a complementary therapy to treat nausea caused by cancer chemotherapy, pain of all kinds, including headaches, menstrual cramps, and low back pain, asthma, and even addiction. It’s also believed by practitioners around the globe to treat an expanded array of conditions, ranging from emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression to respiratory and neurological complaints. So, how does acupuncture—the practice of penetrating the skin with thin, solid metal needles that become activated through gentle and specific movements made by the practitioner—really work? Two entirely different explanations account for the efficacy of acupuncture, depending on whether you ask an eastern or a western practitioner.
The Eastern Explanation
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture is used to regulate lung function and keep the skin’s pores free from disease-causing pathogens in the environment. Practitioners achieved these results (and far more) by controlling what they referred to as one’s wei qi, or the body’s energetic system which circulates just below the skin and runs along energy channels, or meridians, within the body. By strategically inserting very thin needles into the skin and making specific movements with them, Traditional Chinese healers clear blockages along these important pathways.
The Western Explanation
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health and the World Health Organization have both run studies from which they conclude acupuncture’s efficacy or suspected efficacy for treating a vast array of ailments, conditions, disorders, and even infections, as does the eastern concept of acupuncture. However, western medicine takes a far more scientific tack than TCM. Essentially, the modern scientific explanation is that, when the acupuncture points are needled, the nervous system activates and releases varying chemicals into different areas of the body, such as the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals then either alter the patient’s pain experience or trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones that then influence different parts or processes of the body.
Whichever methodology and perspective to which you subscribe, the benefits of acupuncture are clear. Whether it’s the improved energy flow or a balanced biochemistry, acupuncture stimulates the body‘s natural healing abilities and promotes physical and emotional well-being. If you’ve been back-and-forth, considering if acupuncture is right for you, take the leap! It’s one of the quickest, most researched, and most cost-effective ways to promote your health, especially if you’re experiencing chronic body pain. Acupuncture, whether administered by a Traditional Chinese Medicine healer or by a nurse practitioner in a clinical setting, can very likely help heal what ails you!
