Is it painful? This is the most common question I receive from potential clients. Modern acupuncture needles are about the size of a cat whisker and the treatment should be relatively painless. To give you perspective, you can fit 40 acupuncture needles into the tip of a syringe. The sensation levels of acupuncture depend greatly on the practitioner, the style of acupuncture, and the types of needles being used. Primitive societies in China used stone needles (resembling an arrow head) to stimulate acupuncture points. Needle materials evolved from stone, then bronze, and eventually to gold and silver. Today, stainless steel is used to make needles and a plastic guide tube allows for quick and painless insertion.
How does it work? Classical Perspective In traditional Chinese medicine, the body and its functions are seen as a delicate balance of two opposing and inseparable forces: yin and yang. Yin represents the cold, slow, or passive principle, while yang represents the hot, excited, or active principle. Per-
fect health is achieved when the body maintains a balanced state of yin and yang. On the contrary, disease is a result of an imbalance of yin and yang. This imbalance leads to blockage in the flow of qi (energy) along meridian pathways (the channels containing acu-points) and these blockages can lead to physical or emotional illness. The needling of the points where energy pools promotes the movement of stuck energy. Modern Biomedical Explanation There are over 2,000 acupuncture points on the body located at nerve endings. Stimulating these points allows different parts of the body to communicate, triggering the release of opioid peptides. Opioids are naturally occurring chemicals in the brain that have an analgesic, or pain-relieving, effect. The release of opioids, such as endorphins, plays a significant role in the reduction of pain. Endorphins help to decrease feelings of pain and increase feelings of euphoria. There has been considerable evidence to support that acupuncture stimulates the central nervous system, and the release of these chemicals, thereby minimizing pain.
Acupuncture may also induce the relaxation of knotted up myofibrils (muscle fibers) within muscular tissue. It also stimulates local blood flow to the tissues by causing a micro trauma to an area of the body, which increases local blood flow to the surrounding area, initiating the healing process.
Does a practitioner of acupuncture need a license? The National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) oversees accreditation for acupuncturists across the country. Its database of licensed acupuncturists is a good place to start your search for treatment. Licensed acupuncturists must complete a minimum of three years in a master’s acupuncture program at an accredited school. Each state requires its own license and there are continuing education requirements for recertification on the state and national levels. Acupuncture is a safe and effective way to manage pain, digestive disorders, allergies, fertility issues, PMS, migraines, anxiety, depression, and more. The treatments aim to rewire the body to function more optimally and are great options to use in collaboration with conventional treatments or for conditions that are not responsive to conventional medicine.
Natasha Kubis is a licensed acupuncturist and certified yoga teacher. For more information, visit essential-well.com April 2020 | thesofiamagazine.com
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