The first description of acupuncture is in a 4,700-year-old Chinese medical text thought to be the oldest medical reference in the world. The practice is probably even older than this, as the text was written from practices already in use. Shen Nung, the father of Chinese medicine, theorized that the body has an energy force running throughout it known as Qi (roughly pronounced chee). Qi travels along special pathways called meridians. The meridians are the same on each side of the body. There are fourteen main meridians running vertically up and down the surface of the body. Of these, there are twelve organ meridians in each half of the body and two unpaired midline meridians. The insertion of very fine needles at specific points where the meridians come to the surface of the skin is said to remove obstruction, deficiencies, excesses, or unbalance in Qi.

There are a few related procedures that fall into the range of acupuncture treatments. One of these is electro-acupuncture in which very small electrical impulses run through the acupuncture needles. This method is most often used for pain relief or prevention (analgesia). Other methods for stimulating acupuncture needles use lasers or sound waves. A method common in the United States is ear acupuncture (auriculotherapy). The theory is that the ear has many acupuncture points that correspond to parts of the body. Moxibustion is the treatment of diseases by applying heat to acupuncture points. This method is used for asthma, brochitis, and arthritic disorders. Cupping is another type of acupuncture-related treatment. This is a method of stimulating acupuncture points by applying suction. Cupping is used for low backache, sprains, soft tissue injuries, and bronchitis. One the most popular alternatives to acupuncture is acupressure. This is simply stimulation of acupuncture points with the fingers or an instrument with a hard, ball-shaped head. Related to acupressure is reflexology in which the soles of the feet and the regions of the ankle joints are stimulated.

Many diseases have been treated by acupuncture. Ailments treated include lower backache, arthritis, headaches (including migraines), allergies, analgesia, and muscle spasms. Acupuncture has also been investigated for treating anxiety, depression, and addictions.

It is ironic that acupuncture is considered a new alternative therapy when it is over 4,000 years old. Acupuncture has been a safe and effective therapy for various conditions. You may want to consider acupuncture as a non-drug therapy for conditions such as muscle spasm, backaches, and headaches.

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