Facts about Acupuncture

This article is a summary of the main points detailed by Chris Kresser in his series of articles that can be viewed at his blog site "The Healthy Skeptic". I have a link to his site on my home page.

I have been interested in Acupuncture for some time now as the more I learn about how Acupuncture - or more specifically, Acupressure, the more I realise the similarities with how Bowen therapy works. I figure that the Chinese spent thousands of years refining acupuncture and we can learn a lot from them.

The only things I found difficult to get my head around were the Meridians and the role of Chi. Chris's articles explained all that to me so I felt I needed to explain them to you too. However, if you want more details, I can recommend Chris's articles.

CHI AND THE MERIDIANS EXPLAINED
Chi is actually oxygen and the meridians are actually our blood vessels. There was a misinterpretation of the ancient Chinese texts and that is where the mistake happened.
So, if Chi is oxygen, then the Chinese believe that oxygen circulates through the blood vessels of the body. This is the same as we know in Western medicine - simple.

ACUPUNCTURE POINTS EXPLAINED
Acupuncture points are actually neuro nodes situated at points of thin skin. Neuro nodes have many nerve endings that can reflect pain from organs, etc. Interestingly, Reflexology uses many of the same points as acupuncture - as does Bowen therapy.

HOW ACUPUNCTURE HEALS
Acupuncture works in three ways:
1. It relieves pain
2. It reduces inflammation
3. It restores homeostasis
Acupuncture works on the peripheral nervous system so if those nerves are cut or blocked, acupuncture doesn't work. However, there are so many acupuncture points for each area that if one doesn't work, others usually will.

HOW ACUPUNCTURE ACTS
1. It promotes blood flow, thus healing (eg: a 3% lack of blood flow to the breasts can greatly increase the incidence of breast cancer)
2. It creates "micro traumas" which stimulate the body to spontaneously to start the healing mechanisms.
3. It releases natural pain killers (chemical endorphins)
4. It reduces the intensity and perception of pain
5. It relaxes shortened muscles which then takes the pressure off joints and nerves and promotes blood flow
6. It reduces stress by stimulating the release of oxytocin- the chill hormone

WHY WE NEED ACUPUNCTURE AND OTHER HOLISTIC THERAPIES
In ancient times, when we got injured, our brain evolved to cut off the blood supply to the injured site to save our life. For example, if you cut your knee you would live because you wouldn't bleed to death.
This system still works well for us for small cuts but these days when we can fix more serious injuries, the body's restriction of blood flow can hamper healing because there is less oxygen, chemicals and nutrients getting to where it is needed.

HOW ACUPUNCTURE WORKS IN MORE DETAIL
Acupuncture jumps the neural threshold on the position nerve pathway which stimulates the brain to release its natural painkillers.
But then the body slowly returns to the old habit and the pain returns.
After another treatment, the neural threshold is jumped again and after a few more jumps, the nervous system figures out that it's better to operate in a non-pain rather than a pain state. Bowen theray works this way too.
Then the brain stops seeing the body part as injured and restores normal blood flow to it so that healing can occur.
Acupuncture needles also stimulate the immune system as they are foreign invaders. This helps the body decrease inflammation as the white cells that rush to the site of the "invasion" also clean up a lot of the inflammation waste products.
Also, by "popping" the body's mast cells with the needles, acupuncture helps release anti-inflammation chemicals.

WHY HOLISTIC THERAPIES WORK FOR THE LONG TERM
Holistic therapies like acupuncture and Bowen therapy address the underlying causes of disease and try to remove them. Western medicine only tries to suppress the symptoms of disease. Western drugs suppress not only symptoms but the normal functions of the body which over time can worsen the underlying condition because they interfere with the body's self-healing mechanisms.
Examples of the sorts of drugs that have this effect include blood pressure drugs, statins and anti-inflammatories. When you come off them, your symptoms are worse than when you went on them because blood hasn't been flowing to the joint, etc. as it should.
Drugs also have side effects which for some people are worse than the symptoms they were prescribed to help.
Acupuncture works best as a preventative medicine; when the body still has some strength and just needs its immune system tweaking.