Our society has become a lot more complex, our nervous systems are asked to process more information and input than ever before, and our bodies are performing in ways that require the same match of care and support to the level we are rapidly evolving! Our society is also experiencing a sharp increase in the number of people and children who suffer from complex, chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental disorders, autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, mood disorders, infertility is on the rise, and various neurological disorders, to name a few. Unfortunately, a very useful and highly advanced acute-care approach to medicine lacks the proper methodology and tools for preventing and treating a lot of these complex, chronic diseases. Well-meaning physicians apply only specific, prescribed treatments such as drugs or surgery that aim to treat the immediate problem or symptom. In most cases, it does not take into account the unique constitution of the patient, environmental exposures to toxins, nutrition, metabolism, comprehensive assessment of gut health, and other aspects of today’s lifestyles that have a direct influence on the rise in chronic disease in modern Western society. There’s a huge gap between research and the way most doctors practice in these areas today. The gap between emerging research in basic sciences and integration into medical practice is enormous… as long as 50 years… particularly in the area of complex, chronic illness, reproductive health, and autoimmune disorders. Fortunately, a big movement is happening and a lot more physicians have taken the responsibility to look at the research and upgrade the way they practice to better help the people they serve.

Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points in or on the surface of the skin, usually by the insertion of very fine, sterile, stainless steel needles that have the ability to alter various biochemical and physiological conditions in order to treat a wide variety of ailments. It is a method of encouraging the body to promote its natural regenerative and homeostatic mechanisms and abilities to improve overall function. Acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) system also called Eastern Medicine because although it originated in China, it has been refined in many other Asian countries such as Japan and Korea. The term Traditional Chinese refers to the science's roots in early Chinese naturalist thought, sometimes called Daoism, but the science is now a worldwide medical practice, with medical schools around the world teaching acupuncture. It has been widely integrated into hospital settings and medical doctors' practices, especially in China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Europe, and Brazil and we are so proud to be a part of the movement here in the United States.

Each of the acupuncture points acts as a gate—sending energetic information electromagnetically via the fascia deep into the body. Explore some of the ways acupuncture works below:

PROMOTES HEALING

Offering a small electrical prompt to the body to restore homeostasis & balance.

RELEASES BLOCKAGE

Releasing areas of congested/blocked Qi which stimulates organ function & promotes health.

IMPROVES CIRCULATION

Promoting circulation in the body improves function where needed.

DECREASES PAIN

Acting as a natural analgesic, acupuncture interrupts pain signaling. Acupuncture mediates the opioid and cannabinoid systems for pain relief and other physiological effects in the body.

BALANCES BODY CHEMISTRY

Influencing the body’s biochemical responses via the central nervous system.

REDUCES INFLAMMATION

Reducing pro-inflammatory markers, or proteins, in the body

Classical Eastern Explanation

 From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, acupuncture is explained based on an energetic model rather than the biochemical model of western medicine. Qi, or vital energy, circulates along the channels and meridians throughout the body like an energy grid linking all of the body's components together.  

 Qi maintains and nourishes our body and mind, keeps the blood circulating, warms the body, and fights disease. In a healthy state, Qi flows smoothly through the channels. Symptoms and/or illness occur if the flow of Qi is blocked, becomes excessive, or is weakened. 

Similar to a sprinkler system in a garden, the body is constantly working very efficiently to supply the right amount of water, blood, and different nutrients to cells across the body. It is in the obstruction of this supply from injury or dysfunction of any of the systems within our bodies that gives origin to dis-ease, pain, or illness. By selecting and stimulating specific acupoints to regulate the Qi flow, any deficiencies, excesses, or blockages along the channels can be balanced and resolved.

Other Explanations

There are several mechanisms at play in the effects of acupuncture. acupuncture points are believed to stimulate the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) to release chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. these chemicals either change the experience of pain or release other chemicals, such as hormones, that influence the body's self-regulating systems. the biochemical changes may stimulate the body's natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being. there are three main mechanisms:

• - Conduction of electromagnetic signals: Western scientists have found evidence of acupuncture points’ as strategic conductors of electromagnetic signals. Stimulating points along these pathways through acupuncture enables electromagnetic signals to be relayed at it greater rate than under normal conditions. These signals may start the flow of pain-killing biochemicals such as endorphins and of immune system cells to specific sites that are injured or vulnerable to disease.

• - Activation of opioid and cannabinoid systems: research has found that several types of opioids may be released into the central nervous system during acupuncture treatment, thereby reducing pain.

• - Changes in brain chemistry, sensation, and involuntary body functions: studies have shown that acupuncture may alter brain chemistry by changing the release of neurotransmitters and neurohormones in a good way. Acupuncture also has been documented to affect the parts of the central nervous system related to sensation and involuntary body functions, such as immune reactions and processes whereby a person’s blood pressure, blood flow, and body temperature are regulated.

• - Helene M. Langevin MD, a clinical endocrinologist, was so curious about her patients’ interest in acupuncture that she took a course in East Asian medicine and then carried her newfound skills into the lab with her in the department of neurology at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. She led a study that found a measurable “pull out force” after every needle grab. And the strength of this grab was, on average, 18 percent higher when measured at acupuncture points as opposed to non-acupuncture points. The needle grab is more vigorous at these points because they are more conductive of electrical energy. 

 Recent research suggests that not only do energy channels exist, but they’ve been right in front of our eyes all along.  Perhaps more crucially, however, Langevin and her colleagues found, experimenting with acupuncture on a piece of rat abdominal wall, that when they rotated the needles the connective tissue underneath the skin became “mechanically attached.” Writes Langevin: “Even a small amount of rotation caused the connective tissue to wrap around the needle, like spaghetti winding around a fork.” Langevin also found that the tissue remains stretched in this way for the duration of the acupuncture treatment, causing chemical changes at a cellular level that increase electrical conductivity.

 Fascia and connective tissue, long underplayed by western medicine and science, has recently become of interest, particularly among molecular and physiological researchers, as new evidence has demonstrated that such stimulation to the connective tissue can be sensed at a cellular level, decreasing chronic inflammation, reducing pain and even potentially inhibiting the growth of cancer cells or fibrotic tissue.

At a minimum, an acupuncture physician needs 8 years of education. After undergraduate education, they need to graduate from (a 4year program) a nationally accredited university with a master’s degree in Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine. Additionally, to be able to practice medicine, they need to obtain state licensing. State licensing requires passing multiple licensure exams, 4 in total in the state of FL. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) is the certifying body for acupuncturists and also the developer of licensure exams. Recertification for a state license is every two years, and nationally every 5 years. Continuing education minimum requirements are set for both. After, a practitioner can continue her or his education by pursuing a Doctoral degree that depending on the program allows the specialization into a particular area of care, the time of the program varies by specialty and program.  

This is ultimately your choice and can be discussed with your practitioner for recommendations. Once you have reached your therapeutic goals, it may be beneficial to continue receiving acupuncture treatments on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis depending on the condition, your needs, and preferences.