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portereight · 03-01-2005, 07:01 AM

My sister is a physiotherapist. She received training for acupuncture as part of her degree. Recently she treated my wife who had a chronic headache/neck problem. She really pulled back the curtain on how this stuff works.
For most acupuncture the points are actually related to muscles more than nerves. The needle stimulates the muscle in a similar way to a massage, but at a much deeper more localized level. When beginning treatment the needle often causes an increase in symptomatic pain, which is an indication of it being in the right spot. As the needle does it's magic that pain/tension will decrease and the acupuncturist will probably insert the needle a little further until the symptom returns. Subsequent treatments are usually come with more relief. For most muscle/tension/headache/overuse type of treatments the needles are just left in for 15 minutes and the treatment is repeated 3-4 times a week.
Now having said this my sister said that the woman who taught them was a doctor of Chinese medicine and they have a different understanding of what is going on than western medicine. She was taught that she was controlling the flow of "chi" or energy, and that symptom is trapped or impeded chi. The pain caused my the initial needle is good chi, and so on. Chinese medicine can use acupuncture effectively to treat things that western medicine wouldn't. An example is that a Chinese practitioner uses meridians or points that relate to the internal organs that western practitioners of acupuncture don't usually recognize.
If you do seek treatment, a good practitioner will guide you through the reference points and "map" they use to find the points, and show you how to find them yourself. They should also show you some simple exercises to help with the same muscle structures (or chi flow if that is their training). Once at home you can either find these points yourself and stimulate them with finger pressure or better yet have your partner do it while you relax.

Some people also have an electrical currant applied to the needles. This is essentially the same thing as the needle itself, but "turned up to 11" the current causes the muscle to contract slightly. The current may either be continuous or applied in a rhythmic pattern. Kinda like an internal massage thrown in for good measure.

03-01-2005, 07:01 AM	#14 (permalink)
portereight Crazy	My sister is a physiotherapist. She received training for acupuncture as part of her degree. Recently she treated my wife who had a chronic headache/neck problem. She really pulled back the curtain on how this stuff works. For most acupuncture the points are actually related to muscles more than nerves. The needle stimulates the muscle in a similar way to a massage, but at a much deeper more localized level. When beginning treatment the needle often causes an increase in symptomatic pain, which is an indication of it being in the right spot. As the needle does it's magic that pain/tension will decrease and the acupuncturist will probably insert the needle a little further until the symptom returns. Subsequent treatments are usually come with more relief. For most muscle/tension/headache/overuse type of treatments the needles are just left in for 15 minutes and the treatment is repeated 3-4 times a week. Now having said this my sister said that the woman who taught them was a doctor of Chinese medicine and they have a different understanding of what is going on than western medicine. She was taught that she was controlling the flow of "chi" or energy, and that symptom is trapped or impeded chi. The pain caused my the initial needle is good chi, and so on. Chinese medicine can use acupuncture effectively to treat things that western medicine wouldn't. An example is that a Chinese practitioner uses meridians or points that relate to the internal organs that western practitioners of acupuncture don't usually recognize. If you do seek treatment, a good practitioner will guide you through the reference points and "map" they use to find the points, and show you how to find them yourself. They should also show you some simple exercises to help with the same muscle structures (or chi flow if that is their training). Once at home you can either find these points yourself and stimulate them with finger pressure or better yet have your partner do it while you relax. Some people also have an electrical currant applied to the needles. This is essentially the same thing as the needle itself, but "turned up to 11" the current causes the muscle to contract slightly. The current may either be continuous or applied in a rhythmic pattern. Kinda like an internal massage thrown in for good measure. Last edited by portereight; 03-01-2005 at 07:05 AM..