What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is an ancient form of traditional Asian healthcare system, where pain and illness are seen as signs of bodily misbalance. This disbalance occurs when emotional, mental, and physical aspects of life are in disharmonious relationship. The focus of acupuncture is to restore the body’s equilibrium. Traditional acupuncturists describe acupuncture as a procedure that restores natural energy (Qi) that flows through the body and is responsible for overall health. Any disruption of this energy can cause illness and pain.
In the millennia old practice, the Chinese have noticed that stimulation of certain points on the body trigger the body's natural healing response. These points are named acupuncture points. Each point is connected to a certain organ via meridians (acupuncture paths) and, consequently, to certain ailments. Furthermore, one ailment can have several different acupuncture points that are usually located on different areas of the body.
​
Today, the most acceptable explanation of acupuncture is the “neural hypothesis”. According to multiple theories, acupuncture points represent ends of sensory nerves on the body surface. Nerves itself are interconnected and create a net that spread through the entire body. Stimulating the acupuncture point, a nerve impulse is sent to the central nervous system, which processes this message and induces a checking process of the organ that corresponds to the acupuncture point. If the organ cannot respond properly, the body starts the repair process until reaching the normal organ response to nerve impulse.
​
The WHO recognized 28 diseases, conditions, and symptoms in which acupuncture has been “proved (through controlled trials) to be an effective treatment”.
The WHO lists
The WHO recognized 28 diseases, conditions, and symptoms in which acupuncture has been ‘proved (through controlled trials) to be an effective treatment’, and 63 other conditions and diseases that could get relief from acupuncture because its therapeutic effect has been shown. These are: