Acupuncture (and its related acupressure) is a practiced medical treatment that is over 5,000 years old. Very basically, acupuncture is the insertion of very fine needles (or the application of pressure or vibration) on the body's surface, in order to influence the physical and physiological functioning of the body. The ancient Chinese believed that there is a universal life energy called Chi or Qi (pronounced “chee”) present in every living creature. This energy is said to circulate throughout the body along specific pathways that are called meridians. As long as this energy flows freely throughout the meridians, health is maintained, but once the flow of energy is blocked, the system is disrupted and pain and illness occur.  Acupuncture points are specific locations where the meridians come to the surface of the skin, and are easily accessible by "needling” and/or acupressure.  Imagine rivers that flood and cause disasters or an electrical grid short-circuiting that causes blackouts.  Acupuncture works to “re-program” and restore normal functions by stimulating certain points on the meridians in order to free up the Qi energy and restore balance between the Yin and Yang energies. 

How does Acupuncture work?

Scientists have no real answer to this; as you know, many of the workings of the body are still a mystery. There are a few prevailing theories though:  
-The "Augmentation of Immunity" Theory states that by some unknown process, Acupuncture raises levels of triglycerides, specific hormones, prostaglandins, white blood counts, gamma globulins, opsonins, and overall anti-body levels.
-The "Endorphin" Theory states that Acupuncture stimulates the secretions of endorphins (the “feel good” hormones) in the body. 
-The "Neurotransmitter" Theory states that certain neurotransmitter levels (such as serotonin and noradrenaline) are affected by Acupuncture. 
-One of the most popular theories is the "Gate Control" Theory. According to this theory, the perception of pain is controlled by a part of the nervous system which regulates the impulse, which will later be interpreted as pain. This part of the nervous system is called the "Gate." If the gate is hit with too many impulses, it becomes overwhelmed, and it closes. This prevents some of the impulses from getting through. The first gates to close would be the ones that are the smallest. The nerve fibers that carry the impulses of pain are rather small nerve fibers called "C" fibers. These are the gates that close during Acupuncture.

While performing acupuncture, we use 2 different types of acupuncture needles. These needles vary in length, width of shaft, and shape of head. All of the needles are disposable. They are used once and discarded in accordance with medical biohazard regulations and guidelines. In most cases, a sensation, felt by the patient, is desired. This sensation, which is not pain, is called deqi (pronounced dah-chee).

(1)From the article, "Acupuncture: A brief Introduction" by Jeffrey A. Singer

To find out more information visit the acupuncture website:
www.acupuncture.com/