Dr. Manuela Terlinden L.Ac.
WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?
Acupuncture is one of many modalities of Chinese Medicine. We acupuncturists talk a lot about energy that flows in channels throughout our body. We call this energy ‘Qi’ which is usually translated with ‘life energy’ or ‘life force’. But I think it misses a salient point. Qi is also the spark that initiates every movement in our body, in nature, in life. It is the force that keeps everything going. When Qi stagnates we experience pain; when Qi ceases we die. Qi is not only the expression of life; it is the initiation.
Chinese Medicine survived thousands and thousands of years. The ancient Chinese observed carefully natural forces and how they are mirrored in the human body. Qi flows through channels within our body. Acupuncture points are located along these channels. They are like small doors which we open with the acupuncture needle gaining access to the inner landscape of tissues and organs. The channels do not have an anatomical structure. This is a concept which is sometimes hard to understand yet the patient can feel very distinctly the flow of energy from the acupuncture needle to other parts of the body.
I always like to employ the image of a three-dimensional spider web to explain this invisible channel system. All the threads of a spider web are interconnected when you nudge it, it starts to quiver alerting the spider. We do the same thing with the acupuncture needle. We nudge the channel system and alert the Qi to come to our help. The energy we tap into with acupuncture, ripples forth to reach other parts of the body. Until not too long ago research scientists and medical practitioners thought of connective tissue as a filling material between skin, muscles, bones and organs with little importance. Newer research has found that connective tissue is an important pathway for exchange of information between cells and hormones, cells and neurotransmitters and other messenger substances. I think the acupuncture needle taps into this system which may explain that a reaction is provoked that reaches far beyond the point that was actually needled. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense to the patient that when we needle points on the foot for treating headaches. Yet when we realize that all structures are interconnected within our body we can understand better the effect acupuncture has.
Acupuncture is the tap on your shoulder that gets your attention, the nudge that evokes your body’s self-healing power.
Acupuncture is a holistic medicine which means that it can treat so much more than just pain conditions. Ask your practitioner about it!
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