Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that can be used to treat a variety of diseases, symptoms, and conditions. It works through the insertion of very thin stainless steel needles into precise locations on the body. The insertion of these needles opens up the meridians, or energy channels, in the body which become obstructed in the presence of disease. By opening these meridians, we are able to bring our body back to a state of balance.
There are 361 acupoints that are found along the major meridians of the body. Depending on the condition, varying acupoints will be utilized. These acupoints may be combined in numerous ways to help conditions, symptoms, and diseases including (but not limited to):
Adverse reactions to radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy
Allergic rhinitis (including hay fever)
Biliary colic
Depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke)
Dysentery, acute bacillary
Dysmenorrhoea, primary
Epigastralgia, acute (in peptic ulcer, acute and chronic gastritis, and gastrospasm)
Facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)
Headache
Hypertension, essential
Hypotension, primary
Induction of labour
Knee pain
Leukopenia
Low back pain
Malposition of fetus, correction of
Morning sickness
Nausea and vomiting
Neck pain
Pain in dentistry (including dental pain and temporomandibular dysfunction)
Periarthritis of shoulder
Postoperative pain
Renal colic
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sciatica
Sprain
Stroke
Tennis elbow
Acupuncture is an Ancient Chinese form of healing that has been practiced since long before recorded history. Acupuncture philosophy is rooted in the Daoist traditions of meditation and observation of the flow of energy through the universe. The earliest written account of Acupuncture used for medical treatment is found in the first book of Chinese Medicine which was compiled around 200 B.C.: "Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine)". The original needles used in Acupuncture were made of stone and bamboo. These needles have been dated back over 4000 years, but were replaced during the Warring States Era (421-221 B.C.) with metal needles made of silver and gold.
For thousands of years following, Acupuncture became more documented and refined by famous physicians such as Wang Weiy, Sun Simiao, and Zhen Quan. Finally, in 1950, Chairman Mao united Traditional Chinese Medicine with Western Medicine, bringing Acupuncture into hospitals to be used as treatment in a modern medical setting.