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ACUPUNCTURE: AN ANCIENT HEALING ART

Oriental medicine - a term comprising acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine and several other related medical arts - originated in China, one of the world's oldest continuous civilizations.

Bamboo and stone acupuncture needles dating from as far back as 1000 b.c.e. have been unearthed by archeologists, and medical texts more than two thousand years old-such as the Huang-di Nei-jing (Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine)-are still in use today. By the early centuries c.e., acupuncture had already become a coherent merical system using stimulation of specific points on interconnected pathways to move and balance the body's energy and promote the body's ability to heal itself.

Throughout its long history, Oriental medicine has been a dynamic and evolving medical art and science. The practice of acupuncture developed early on as one of the Taoist healing arts, which is part of a total prescription for a healthy lifestyle. Over time, concepts of health and illness in China were expanded to reflect an increased understanding of the natural world, as well as societal and cultural shifts. Meanwhile, outbreaks of new types of illness led to theoretical and clinical innovations. For example, it was the loss of nearly two hundred relatives and friends to famine and malnourishment that compelled the great Han dynasty physician Zhang Zhong Jing to develop his work, Shang-han Lun (Treatise on Cold-Induced Febrile Diseases), one of the classic texts on Chinese herbal medicine.

As Chinese medicine spread to Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Tibet, and more recently to Europe and the United States, practitioners selected and adapted the theories and practices of Chinese medicine most useful to their respective cultures.

Practitioners of Oriental medicine focus on treating the whole person.

As a result, a number of distinctive styles of Oriental medicine developed, all sharing certain key principles: reliance on careful observation; an awareness that environmental, psychological, spiritual and societal factors affect the health of individuals; and the understanding that all phenomena - from the smallest particle to the entire cosmos - are interrelated. Practitioners of Oriental medicine focus on treating the whole person. They emphasize prevention of disease over cure, and understand that compassion is integral to the healing process.

Oriental medicine today reflects a union of the timeless principles discovered by early Chinese philosophers and physicians with a modern understanding of the human body and the mechanisms of illness. Indeed, as Oriental medicine moves into its third millennium of practice it continues to evolve as a truly integrative form of medicine. The concepts upon which acupuncture and Oriental medicine rest are rich and multifaceted. The following brief descriptions of a few of these concepts only begin to scratch the surface of the meaning and value of a healing art that is both ancient and modern, esoteric and highly practical.

Oriental medicine begins with the concept of vital energy, or the life force, called qi ("chee"). Qi, like energy, is the foundation of all physical phenomena, including living organisms.

Ancient Chinese philosophy, like modern day quantum physics, recognized that energy and matter are part of a single continuum, and that each can transform into the other. Although qi itself cannot be observed, movements and changes in qi have observable and palpable physical effects. In human beings, for example, a disruption or imbalance in the flow of qi can manifest as ill health or disease on the physical, emotional or spiritual level.

The goal of the practitioner of Oriental medicine is to balance and harmonize the body's qi. The harmonious flow of qi restores the patient to a state of health, increases vitality and enhances the ability to resist disease. To achieve this, the practitioner must consider all factors that can disrupt the flow of qi, from physical concerns-such as environment, lifestyle factors, diet and exercise-to the emotional and spiritual states of the patient.

MERIDIANS

Meridians are the channels along which qi flows; together they form an intricate energetic network throughout the body. There are twelve main meridians, which are associated with specific organ systems, as well as a number of secondary and "extraordinary" meridians. The acupuncturist inserts needles in the skin at specific points along the meridians to balance the flow of qi in the body and restore health.

In addition to needle insertion, there are various other traditional modalities used to enhance the flow of qi along the meridians, including: moxibustion, a method of stimulating qi using heat; qigong, which uses breathing and other methods to channel qi; tai chi , a movement therapy; and tui na, a form of massage. Modern day practitioners have discovered that electroacupuncture and low-energy lasers are also effective for stimulating the flow of qi through the meridians.

YIN - YANG

The universe is characterized by continuous, cyclical change. Yin and yang represent the polar opposites or the duality of nature apparent in the ever-changing picture of reality.

Inextricably linked, like the concepts of light and dark, yin becomes yang and yang becomes yin in a perpetual dynamic. The interaction of these bipolar forces is inherent in all living organisms, including the human body. The concept of yin and yang underlies the various theories and practices of Oriental medicine. Since good health is characterized by the proper balance of yin and yang elements in the body, the practitioner must have a thorough understanding of yin and yang to effectively diagnose and treat illness.

TAO

The Tao, usually translated as "Way" or "Teaching", may be understood as the indefinable nature and intrinsic order of all things in the universe. The universal laws of balance and change are reflected within the spirit, mind and body of each person. The highly skilled practitioner of Oriental medicine is aided by an understanding of the Tao as he or she examines many small signs and symptoms in the patient to recognize overall patterns of health and illness, and determine a diagnosis and treatment plan.

THE FIVE ELEMENTS

The Five Elements:- Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water

The ancient Chinese recognized five basic elements - wood, fire, earth, metal and water - which combine in various ways to form all the substances in the universe. The interplay of these five elements influences all of nature, including the human spirit, mind and body.

Each of the five elements corresponds with a specific body organ and is associated with other natural phenomena. Within a person, cycles and relationships of the five elements express either harmony in the form of health, or disharmony in the form of illness. The practitioner seeks to reestablish balance and harmony among the five elements to help restore a patient's health.