Market Day Daily World News

Should You Try Acupuncture?
Posted on October 2, 2006

by Richard Johnson

Acupuncture, a Chinese therapy that has been used for centuries, isbased on the theory that there is an energy called “chi” or “qi”flowing through the body.

Chi flows along energy pathways called meridians, and acupuncturistsbelieve a blocking or imbalance of the flow of chi at any point mayresult in illness. Acupuncture unblocks and balances the flow of chito restore health.

Acupuncture is most often used to relieve pain, and researchers haveverified results, citing body chemicals that have calming effects(opioid peptides) and affected glands (such as the hypothalamus) thatproduce pain-killing substances.

Traditional Chinese acupuncture usually is done by putting very thinneedles into the skin at certain points on the body to produce energyflow along the body’s meridians. Other types of acupuncture use heat,pressure, or mild electrical current.

In addition, North American psychological, physiological and medicalresearchers are also studying acupuncture (or Qigong) with interest.

Today more than 70 million Chinese practice Qigong daily, as acurative step for existing afflictions and as a preventative measure.

Jeanie Marie Kraft, L.Ac. MyAcuDoc.com