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July Newsletter from Dr Jared Hanson ND LAc:

Acupuncture, It's Not Just For Pain Anymore!

By now, almost everybody has heard of acupuncture. Acupuncture is gradually gaining acceptance as a treatment for pain, for which it is superlative, but the truth is acupuncture can treat a much wider scope of health conditions.

In ancient China, it was believed that you needed all of your body parts when you entered the afterlife. Surgery, therefore, was not an option. (Other cultural traditions such as Ayurveda, by contrast, had a rich and successful history of surgery, even thousands of years ago.) Acupuncture filled the need for medical intervention that didn’t compromise the integrity of the body. As such, acupuncture was used to address health complaints involving all areas of health and organ systems.

The understanding of anatomy that developed when surgery, post-mortem dissection or autopsies were forbidden is a conceptual one, and terms used in acupuncture such as Liver or Spleen refer to a set of related functions rather than a physical organ. The Spleen in acupuncture, for example, is responsible for digestion, a process for which the spleen in Western medicine has no part. Similarly, acupuncture even refers to some organs, such as the Triple Burner, that have no physical or functional counterpart in Western medicine.

How does acupuncture work?

Contemporary scientific research has demonstrated definite physiological effects due to acupuncture treatment, such as the release of endorphins and enkephalins, without formulating an explanation that fits comfortably within the framework of the conventional scientific understanding of physiology or biochemistry.

Acupuncture itself developed outside of this conceptual framework and is applied according to an entirely different medical theory. The basic idea is this: there is a basic energy, termed qi, that runs in set channels, called meridians, throughout the body. Each meridian connects to different organs, extremities and other meridians. By accessing this energy at points along the meridians, we can influence the flow of qi throughout the body. There are basically two things that can go wrong with the flow of energy: there is not enough of it (deficiency) or it’s stuck (stagnation). Any health problem can essentially be broken down into either of these conditions. An acupuncturist uses the needles to either encourage energy flow through a certain area or disperse energy that has stagnated. Properly applied acupuncture restores balance to the flow of energy, thereby restoring health.

Acupuncture for Digestive Disorders

Acupuncture is known to be quite effective as a treatment for nausea and vomiting. This is true regardless of the underlying condition, whether it be pregnancy, food poisoning or a course of chemotherapy. Acupuncture can also do wonders for common digestive issues such as gas, bloating, heartburn, diarrhea, constipation and hemorrhoids. Diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, peptic ulcers and hepatitis respond very well to acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture is used very successfully in China for some surprising things such as worms in the bile duct, appendicitis and gallstones.

Acupuncture for Mental and Emotional Issues

In acupuncture theory and Chinese medicine, each organ system is associated with different emotions. Anger is the province of the Liver, fear belongs to the Kidney and grief and fright are associated with the Lung. The emotion linked to the Heart is referred to as joy, but this should be thought of as an excess of joy, otherwise known as mania. The Spleen in Chinese medicine is related to overthinking, which can be related to worry or anxiety.

Mental issues such as difficulty concentrating and memory loss respond well to regular acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture has a well known calming effect so it should come as no surprise that acupuncture is an exceptional therapy for anxiety whether chronic or acute. I have also seen cases of long-term depression clear up rather quickly after a few acupuncture treatments.

Even indecision can be treated with acupuncture, it is the responsibility of the gallbladder.

Acupuncture for Respiratory Complaints

Common upper respiratory complaints such as colds, flus, nasal allergies, sore throats and sinusitis can often clear up after one good acupuncture treatment. The symptoms and severity of chronic respiratory complaints such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and emphysema can also be diminished with regular acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture for Cardiovascular Conditions

Acupuncture is a wonderful way to help maintain blood pressure and cholesterol at healthy levels. It is not associated with any of the side effects that medications can cause but can be combined safely with medications you may be taking. High blood pressure is usually associated with an Excess condition of the Liver while high cholesterol is associated with a Deficiency condition in the Spleen.

Angina will respond to regular acupuncture, reducing the occurrence and severity of attacks and improving exercise tolerance. Palpitations can be alleviated by acupuncture and acupuncture works very well in peripheral vascular disorders such as Raynaud’s disease or vascular insufficiency in the extremities.