Acupuncture works by stimulating the body to draw blood and nutrients to the area where needles are inserted.
Over 5,000 years ago Chinese warriors connected the insertion of needles to certain areas with specific reproducible results.
These connections were well documented and eventually were compiled to discover that humans have 14 highways for where the needles can connect the movement of blood and nutrient flow.
Those channels are where “Qi” aka nutrients, electrolytes & minerals as well as blood move.
The channels relate to 14 organs within the body.
Needles are chosen based on a combination of symptoms & imbalances found when taking your pulse on each side of your wrists in addition to looking at your tongue.
The pulses on your wrists are found on the thumb side of your wrist, known as the radial pulse, the pulse locations correspond to regions of the body.
The pulse is determined when the pointer, middle and ring finger are laid next to each other by the practitioner with the pointer finger closest to the wrist crease.
– the pulse closest to your thumb relates to the upper half of your body – the lung & heart channels
– the pulse in the middle relates to the middle half of your body – the spleen & stomach channels
– the pulse most distal to the wrist relates to the lower half of your body – the kidney channel in particular
The tongue is examined for the color & coating on top & vessel dilation underneath the tongue.
– the tip of the tongue relates to the heart & lung
– the middle of the tongue relates to the spleen & stomach
– the sides of the tongue relates to the liver & gallbladder
– the back of the tongue relates to the kidney
Because acupuncture is able to put organs into balance it has the ability to calm the nervous system’s effects on the organs.
Since society runs off of being stuck in the fight or flight mode, your parasympathetic nervous system is on hyperdrive and has the ability to throw off your organ systems & their balance.
Pain is often a common manifestation of imbalance in the organs, qi and blood flow.
When working with pain the acupuncturist looks at the channels that run through the area of pain.
For example: shoulder pain is related to small intestine, lung and large intestine channels thus it’s common to have shoulder pain that presents when there’s a digestive issue.
All pain and symptoms of imbalance are related to decreased circulation in blood or qi when it’s broken down to the simplest level.
So acupuncture’s stimulating of qi and blood flow allows the body to tap into the subconscious & the nervous system to allow for increased blood & nutrient flow.
If you’re looking for something that can help support you on your health journey that amplifies your results, acupuncture is a great way to kick start your results!
Want to learn more about how circulation affects your health? Check out my blog that talks all about circulation.
