Traditional Chinese medicine
Acupuncture, from the Latin acus “needle” and pungere “pinch”, finds its roots in traditional Chinese medicine. This healing art is characterized by the establishment of special needles at strategic points of the body.
Concept of Qi and meridians
Chinese tradition considers man as a combination of body materials and energy (Qi). This energy aims to animate the physical body and is the balance between these two elements that determine our health. A disturbance of this harmony would be the cause of our illnesses affecting energy and resulting in pain or symptoms change. The principle of acupuncture is simple. When energy is blocked in a body part, other regions will be in energy deficit. The acupuncturist will try to break this deadlock by using needles. The aim of the treatment is the establishment of balance by regulating Qi. His diagnosis is thus to identify at what level the energy is blocked and what is the reason. The energy flows through the body through two conduits: the main meridians and secondary meridians. The main meridians are 12 in number and are interspersed with points forming strategic areas for treatment. These points are equipped with any therapeutic, they can just act on the flow of energy. The points are more effective at stimulating those located near the ends. Indeed, each principal meridian always starts at the end of a finger or toe. Through the meridians, the body receives energy in the form of nutrient intake or information from outside. However, they also open the way for disease.
In practice. The location of the needle into the skin is rarely painful but accuracy is essential. The patient should not feel anything on a specific point, but one or two millimeters away, he can feel the sting. Initially, 360 points were identified on the meridians of the entire body, other issues were subsequently discovered and there are now up over 2000 points. Acupuncture has a calming effect, it can even fall asleep during the meeting some people. An acupuncturist uses needles typically 1-15 and a session can last up to 40 minutes depending on the treatment performed. Sometimes the patient feels a mild tingling numbness see his body, there is no reason for concern, it is quite normal at the time of needle insertion. In case of fatigue after treatment or reddening around points bitten, it is best to inform the acupuncturist. The five elements
The balance of the body depends on the environment in which man lives. The latter must always be in harmony with the five main components of nature: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. These elements serve as reference for the practitioner to determine the energy balance of the patient and prescribe appropriate treatment. It will conduct a detailed examination of the patient observing, questioning him, touching and even smelling his body odor. Variants