What is acupuncture?

By Dorian Kramer

So, what is acupuncture? Acupuncture is one aspect of Eastern medicine. Eastern medicine is based on the belief that there is a flow of Qi (energy) and blood through the body. Any interruption of this flow can lead to any disease state such as pain, asthma, diabetes, psychiatric disorders, chronic emotional states, and even cancer. The Qi and blood flow through the body via a series of channels or meridians. Along these channels are the acupuncture points. These can be seen as way stations where the flow can be accessed and redirected as necessary. In Eastern medicine there is a fundamental concept of root conditions and branch conditions. The branches are symptoms but these symptoms are what in Western medicine would be considered a diagnosis. So in contemporary medicine you may be diagnosed with migraines; in Eastern medicine this is a symptom of a deeper condition. These deeper conditions are the root conditions; the root is what is causing the branches. So a person who complains of migraines but may also have a history of hypertension, chronic constipation, insomnia, and issues with temper control may see these as separate conditions, but to the acupuncturist these are all pointing to a common source. The determination of the root condition is done through a series of diagnostic methods. Usually this starts with a series of questions to determine all symptoms the patient may be suffering from. Then the acupuncturist will move on to use some of the more classic diagnostic techniques, which include pulse palpation, abdominal palpation, tongue diagnosis, facial diagnosis and palpation of the meridians. Once the root condition has been determined, the acupuncturist has a variety of treatment options. To start there is the classic use of the needles in order to influence the body to balance the flow of this Qi and blood. All the needles come individually packaged and are disposed of after use. Then there is the practice of Moxabustion. Moxabustion is the burning of a cured form of the herb Mugwort. This herb can be burned in the form of a cigar-sized piece held a few inches over the channels and points, it may be burned on to pieces of other herbs to enhance its affects, or it may be rolled and broken up into rice grain-sized pieces that are burned directly on to the points and extinguished before causing an actual burn. Eastern medicine holds that the needles will move around what energy the person has or influence its production; moxa adds the energy directly to the body. Then there is the use of herbs. Herbalism may be found in all cultures across the globe and is the basis for most of our modern medications. Most forms of herbalism use one or two herbs to address conditions. The Eastern approach generally uses elegantly balanced formulas to treat the conditions while alleviating the potential side affects of the individual herbs. Other techniques are cupping, gua sha or skin scraping, as well as forms of point massage. There is a great deal of research that has been and is still being done on how acupuncture and Eastern medicine work from a contemporary perspective. The research is starting to show that Eastern medicine works through a variety of systems. Many of the acupuncture points lie near or on locations where nerves innervate the muscles and send a reverse signal up the neural pathway to the brain in order to stimulate the bodys natural ability to heal. Some of the points influence the glands they are near and stimulate the endocrine system. Certain combinations of points seem to stimulate whole neurological systems such as the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Others are seen to relax chronic smooth muscle contractions in dysfunctional organs. Though there are still many points that just have empirical functions, meaning they dont know why they work, they just do.So generally the next question is: What can Eastern medicine help with? A short list would be allergies, asthma, anxiety, addiction, bursitis, bulimia, chronic illnesses, diabetes, depression, hypertension, high cholesterol, heart conditions, IBS, insomnia, infertility, low energy, menopause, menstruation issues, pain of all kinds including sciatica and carpal tunnel, and so much more.Dorian G. Kramer is a graduate from The New School for Holistic Medicine and Research in New York with a master's degree in oriental medicine, and a New Hampshire, Maine and New York state-licensed acupuncturist and Chinese herbal diplomate. He is trained in Japanese Meridian Therapy, Shonishin or Japanese pediatric acupuncture, the Dr. Manakas style of acupuncture, and classical Chinese herbal medicine. In addition, he is an avid practitioner of two styles of internal martial arts, Xing Yi and Ba Ji, as well as multiple forms of Qi-Gong. Kramer has recently teamed up with Patricia Murray D.O., and the staff at T. Murray Wellness Center, 24 Pleasant Street, Conway.