Acupuncture - ancient Chinese medicine for present day ailments.
Do you get the point of acupuncture or have you been on the sharp end like me?
Acupuncture is a Chinese medicine which is defined as the insertion and manipulation of fine needles into certain known 'acupuncture points' on the body with the objective of relieving pain or stress and thus allowing healing to take place. Acupuncture originated in China over 2,000 years ago and has spread throughout the modern world and is now one of the most popular alternative medicines.
In its early days when it was purely a Chinese medicine, Acupuncture was only practiced by certain individuals, it being felt that it was a 'special' skill which could not be passed on to just anyone. Nowadays, the view is much more enlightened and it is reckoned that anyone with sufficient ability and dedication could learn the required healing skills. As a result there are classes for a would-be acupuncturist in just about every major town.
The main process behind acupuncture is to induce a localized stimulation in the nerves by means of a very fine needle. This stimulation passes through the entire body causing the body to commence a self-healing process which may bring about a reversal of a disease or affectation - sometimes even if the illness is of a chronic or well-established nature.
The demand for courses in acupuncture has risen dramatically over the last few years and now acupuncturist schools are to be found everywhere. At a school such as this you will be taught techniques of healing and therapy via the stimulation of certain nerves. Another place to look for a course are the acupuncture clinics themselves - they often run out-of-hours courses. There are even online courses in acupuncture.
If you have an existing medical qualification you would normally expect to take 2 years to complete a course - if you don't have that knowledge it may run to 4 or 5 years.
The main advantage of this form of Chinese medicine is that it is a means of treating ailments without the use of drugs therefore theoretically it should have no side-effects and not conflict with any other form of treatment.
My own experience of acupuncture, I have to say, is less than favorable. My wife had been having therapy with a lady in our town and had found it beneficial with her scoliosis. The two of them discussed the problems I had been having with my back and the acupuncturist reckoned she could help.
I lay on the bed while she stuck pins into my forehead and neck but, unfortunately, these immediately started the most ferocious migraine so I pulled the pins out and left there and then. It took me three days to get over my acupuncture!
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