"The data in support of acupuncture are as strong as those for many accepted Western medical therapies … In addition, ample clinical experience, supported by some research data, suggests that acupuncture may be a reasonable option for a number of clinical conditions. Examples are postoperative pain and myofascial and low back pain.”
National Institute of Health (NIH), 1997 Consensus Statement on Acupuncture
It appears that the effectiveness of acupuncture and the often-amazing results are achieved because acupuncture exerts a multitude of different effects on the body, including changes in the central nervous system, changes in regard to the neurotransmitters, and effects in regard to inflammation and pain perception. Contemporary research has shown that acupuncture regulates blood pressure, increases red and white blood cell count, stimulates bone regrowth, and modulates the production of pain regulating endorphins and enkephalins. It is important to note that the current research suggests that there is no singular explanation as how acupuncture works from a scientific perspective. Acupuncture not only relieves pain, but also removes the underlying disorder leading to a permanent recovery.
Chinese Medicine developed in a culture that has radically different views of how health is achieved and maintained from our own. It sees all living systems as permeated with an energetic life force called Qi . In the human body, this life energy courses in channels of energy that run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These energy channels, called meridians , are like rivers flowing through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissues and organs. A deficiency of energy or an obstruction in the movement of these energy rivers causes symptoms, such as fatigue and pain. Needling the acupuncture points can influence the meridians; the acupuncture needles unblock the obstructions and reestablish the regular flow through the meridians thereby creating a context where healing takes place.
