So, what's with this Acupuncture anyway?

The needles are made of stainless steel, and there is no medicine or herbal product on the needle. Therefor there is no possibility of allergic reaction, unless of course you have a very rare metal allergy.

In America 95% of practitioners have adopted less aggressive (less painful) approaches to needling. In my studies I have been trained in both Japanese needling and Chinese needling. Japanese needling rarely causes much sensation at all, as a matter of a fact often the patient cannot even feel the insertion. The Japanese theories on treatment indicate that proper manipulation of the body's energy should not involve the nervous system. However Chinese needling is another story. With Chinese theory you must propagate a "dull ache" sensation at the point and along the meridian you are trying to affect. This may sound scary, but when done properly this is indeed a "dull ache" and is not painful. In order to generate this sensation, the Chinese use larger diameter needles and many different documented needle manipulation techniques. There are significant amounts of research to document the results of both of these needling styles, one is not truly better than the other.

The Chinese belief is that there are pathways in our bodies in which an energy called Chi (pronounced Chee) flows. This energy comes from our internal organs then flows through specific meridians on our trunks and extremities. Often disease of a organ is seen in pain and dysfunction of the area that its meridian nourishes. So, if the organ can affect the meridian it should also be true that the meridian can affect the organ, right? This is very true and is the basis for acupuncture internal medicine. By manipulating the Lung meridian (along the thumb side of the forearm for example) I can also manipulate the flow and function of Chi in the Lung.

The modern scientific theories vary from time to time. Most believe that neurotransmitters called endorphins are released during an acupuncture treatment. Endorphins are the primary chemicals in our bodies that the brain uses to control pain. This theory works when discussing acupuncture for pain control, but not when discussing acupuncture for internal medicine. Many modern researchers feel that acupuncture treatments balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. These are the two systems that more or less regulate nearly all of our bodily functions. For nearly any function, one will increase the function (usually the sympathetic system) while the other will decrease it. Together they maintain balance (called homeostasis) in our bodies, if everything is working properly of course.