Traditional Chinese Medicine — Acupuncture
by Dr. Robert Kienitz, D.Ac., DTCM
The healing modalities of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), are many, but the most well known fall into four categories, the first of which is acupuncture. Acupuncture is the use of thread fine surgical steel needles at specific points on your body to remove blockages in the energetic system that regulates your health. These acupoints are sites along the meridians that have a regulatory mechanism on the Qi of the whole meridian. Acupuncture is virtually painless and perfectly safe when performed by an expert under strict clinical conditions. Acupuncture works as a regulatory modality and is a powerful tool that can bring every form of disharmony and disease back into equilibrium.
Acupuncture is endorsed by the World Health Organization, the National Institute of Health and the Food and Drug Administration. More important than those endorsements is the fact that millions of people have consistently used acupuncture for thousands of years. Their meticulous records present us with a body of clinical knowledge that is unmatched by any other medicine. The research on acupuncture continues today and incorporates strict scientific methods that continue to prove the worth of this powerful modality.
Other modalities that fall under the general heading of acupuncture are Acu-Tap, Moxabustion and Cupping.
Moxabustion is the use of an herb called Aie Ye (artemisia vulgarus or mugwort), to warm and heat the meridians of the body. Disease often arises from cold which stagnates the Qi in the meridians and Aie Ye is rolled into a cylinder that resembles a cigar, ignited so that it smolders and held very close to the skin at specific acupoints to warm the Qi in the meridians. This type of therapy is particularly useful on arthritic conditions and sports injuries.
Cupping is the use of glass jars or cups that have the air drawn out of them in order to create a vacuum. The suction pulls the superficial layers of skin and fascia apart or pulls adhesions between muscle tissue apart. This allows the synovial fluid to seep back between the tissues and relieves pain from adhesion that is associated with sprains and strains of muscle tissue.
Acupuncture, moxabustion and cupping can be used together or separately to regulate your bioenergy and brig you back to a more perfect state of balance and health.