Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years and originally was used approximately 5000 years ago in the battle field during the Shang Dynasty as a form of natural pain relief. The soldiers found that certain areas of their bodies if “punctured” with the small tip of a stone would provide pain relief to different areas of the body.
After thousands of years of research acupuncture has become what it is today. The World Health Organization states that acupuncture treats 47 known health conditions which is greater than any other type of therapy that exists today.
There are different theories on how acupuncture works, but one popular theory is that it effects the regulation of blood flow. There are MRI studies done at Harvard that showed that by stimulating certain points for pain resulted in a reduction of blood flow to pain centers in the brain as well as increasing it in others. Some people believe acupuncture works by effecting the flow of energy called “Chi” (pronounced ‘Chee’).
Either way, the philosophy states that if there is a stagnation of energy or blood flow the result will lead to a future health issue. Although this concept may be foreign to Westerners, the idea of increasing blood flow to certain areas and returning balance to the body is understood in Western Medicine. Blood will bring nutrients, endorphins, neurotransmitters, hormones and oxygen; these are all essential in the healing process and that is what acupuncture does. It heals the body.
Some people think its placebo, but it is used on animals throughout the world with great results and animals don’t know how to fake a result.
If you’re scared of the needles, all you have to know is that each one is about as thin as the hairs on your head. If you close your eyes, you probably won’t notice it.
The reason why acupuncture can treat a wide variety of health conditions is because it works with blood flow.