If you have heard something about acupuncture in the West, you're probably familiar with the explanation that acupuncture manipulates energy called Qi that flows through the body in pathways called Meridians. When the Qi becomes blocked, illness results. An acupuncturist can use fine needles at specific points to promote the free flow of Qi to bring the body back into harmony.
Sounds pretty far fetched right? I would agree. It's not how I think of acupuncture at all.
Most of the confusion around what acupuncture is and how it works is a result of information being lost in translation. A lot of the terms used to describe acupuncture and how it works don't have appropriate English counterparts.
Qi
The English term ‘energy’ is a poor description of the Chinese word Qi. It was used in the early translations of traditional Chinese texts for lack of a better word. In Chinese Medicine theory, the lungs take in the Da Qi before the Qi is extracted and circulated around the body. This is just like our modern understanding where oxygen is extracted from the air we breathe and is transported around the body for cells to function. The way I understanding Qi is that it describes how well an organ system is functioning. If an organ is Qi deficient, it means that there is a problem with the supply of oxygen and nutrients that are needed for proper function to occur.
Acupuncture Point
The term ‘point’ has been translated from the Chinese word Jie. Jie can be better understood as a neurovascular node or a crucial juncture in the body. Neurovascular nodes contain a high concentration of sensory nerve fibers, fine blood vessels, fine lymphatic vessels, and mast cells. These points exist close to nerve trunks or rather large nerve branches.
Meridian
The term ‘Meridian’ was used to describe the Chinese word, Mai. Early texts have drawings of the major arteries going from the trunk into the legs with the acupuncture points arranged along these lines. The Chinese word for blood vessel is Xue Mai. Meridians, or Mai, would be better translated as vessels.
How does acupuncture work?
Fine needles are inserted superficially into the skin at neurovascular nodes (acupuncture points).
The stimulus from the acupuncture needle causes both a local immune response and a centralized response through the activation of the peripheral and central nervous system.
When a needle is inserted into the skin, it pops the mast cells which signals the body's immune system to become active in the local area. The mast cell releases immune substances such as leukotrienes and prostaglandins. Leukotrienes are the strongest anti-inflammatory substance the body can produce. Prostaglandins are one of the more potent mediators that cause increased blood flow. The blood contains analgesics (painkillers), anti-inflammatories, nutrients absorbed from food, oxygen, hormones, and other immune substances to fight infection.
There are two types of nerves involved in our perception of pain: nociceptive which tells the brain something hurts and proprioceptive which tells the brain where it hurts. When both these fire together the nervous system can respond by releasing natural pain-relieving substances. In chronic pain the proprioceptive signal to the brain to too weak so the brain is unable to respond. Acupuncture allows the brain to recognize there is pain and where it’s coming from, promoting the proper natural healing response.
Acupuncture has three primary effects:
It relieves pain.
It reduces inflammation.
It restores the body's ability to self regulate.
The benefits of acupuncture are a result of many different mechanisms. Some of the main effects that have been identified are:
Acupuncture promotes blood flow.
Acupuncture stimulates the body’s built-in healing mechanisms.
Acupuncture releases natural painkillers.
Acupuncture reduces both the intensity and perception of chronic pain.
