What is Acupuncture
Everybody has heard of acupuncture, but to many it still remains a bit of a mystery. Most people know that acupuncture involves needles, but unless they have experienced acupuncture they probably have not seen the technique or experienced the effects.
Very fine disposable needles are used, of varying lengths, depending on the part of the body where the needle is inserted. You do not usually feel the needle going in, but you often get a feeling immediately that is difficult to describe. It could be a feeling of heaviness, or sinking, heat, coolness, or like a tiny electric current. And sometimes there is a simultaneous connection with another seemingly unrelated part of the body, for example, a needle inserted in the ankle may give a tingling feeling in a toe.
Acupuncture has been used in China for at least 2,000 years and there are over 300 points. The blood flows through the vessels, and the energy, or “Qi” circulates around and through them. The points can be described as “gateways” on these channels and they are used for treatment and diagnosis.