Acupuncture
literally means 'needle piercing," the practice of inserting very fine needles
into the skin to stimulate specific anatomic points in the body (called acupoints
or acupuncture points) for therapeutic purposes. Along with the usual method of
puncturing the skin with the fine needles, the practitioners of acupuncture also
use heat, pressure, friction, suction, or impulses of electromagnetic energy to
stimulate the points. The acupoints (acupuncture points) are stimulated to balance
the movement of energy (qi) in the body to restore health.
Acupuncture
involves stimulating. In the past 40 years acupuncture has become a well-known,
reasonably available treatment in developed and developing countries. Acupuncture
is used to regulate or correct the flow of qi to restore health.
To
really understand how acupuncture works, it is necessary to become familiar with
the basics of Chinese philosophy. The philosophies of the Dao or Tao, yin and
yang, the eight principles, the three treasures and the five elements are all
fundamental to traditional Chinese acupuncture and its specific role in helping
to maintain good health and a person's well-being.
