acupuncture
WHAT IS IT AND HOW DOES IT WORK? Written by Holly A. Carling, O.M.D., L.Ac., Ph.D.
Acupuncture is a mode of healing that dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) where it was formalized as the main body of medicine. Archeological evidence shows its use much earlier than that. The first book is dated 100 BC. Why is this important? Because acupuncture has withstood the test of time. Things that don’t work fall by the wayside, not hang around for over 2,000 years! Acupuncture in most countries of the world is regulated the same as medical doctors, chiropractors, dentists, etc. Acupuncture needles are regulated by the FDA. Schooling for a Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) or Doctor of Oriental Medicine (O.M.D., or D.O.M.) - which includes acupuncture, herbal medicine and other treatment modalities - is rigorous with in depth training on nearly the same courses of study medical doctors take (such as anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, microbiology, histology, chemistry, biology, etc.). The number of hours varies – for instance, acupuncturists don’t focus as much on medications because though we need the knowledge to understand what our patients are taking, we are not licensed to prescribe. Rather those hours are spent on studying herbal medicine and nutrition. Likewise, rather than focus on surgical technique, we focus on acupuncture technique. 28 july • aug 2022
Acupuncture integrates a philosophy of health referred to as Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM. TCM holds that there is energy in the body that when disrupted, leads to disease. That energy is referred to as “Qi”. The aim of acupuncture is to balance the qi, restoring function to the afflicted organ, tissue or system. Most acupuncturists rely on both TCM and modern understanding. Modern study reveals that acupuncture works on centers in the brain and other organs stimulating a response, mostly chemical in action. For instance, when an acupuncture point in the hand is stimulated, it releases hormones that suppress pain. Why the hand and not the head? We don’t know. There are still areas of acupuncture we don’t understand. However, these effects are consistent. Acupuncture needles are very fine, like that of a hair, and solid, more like a filament than a needle. Nothing is injected, so there is not the pain of being cut with a hypodermic needle, or the swelling accompanying something injected. It simply slips in between the fibers of the skin like a broach in a jacket. Acupuncture is unique in many ways. When a person comes in for an evaluation of their complaint, acupuncturists look at all symptoms combined, looking
