One of the most common thoughts about acupuncture is, how does it even work? It all makes sense from a Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) point of view, but it can seem very extraordinary in the West when we are all used to Western medicine.
So, in TCM, we work with a substance called Qi. This can be translated as energy or vital energy. A healthy person will have a balance of Qi within their body. Qi in the body transforms the material into energy. It promotes metabolism (the collection of chemical reactions that occur in the body cells, which convert food into energy. This process also needs oxygen). In Chinese medicine, when we eat pasta + steam, this produces Qi. In Western medicine, this can be understood as glucose + Oxygen, which produces Adenosine Triphosphate, the substance that is present in all living cells and provides energy for many metabolic processes.
Homeostasis can be understood as the self-regulating process in a living organism that maintains internal stability whilst adjusting to external conditions. Acupuncturists can influence homeostasis by inserting needles at certain points.
So, what even is an acupuncture point?
Acupuncture points are locations on the body that facilitate the transformation and transportation of information, influencing the function of channels and organs. These points are not merely physical structures but are spaces between muscles, vessels, tendons, and bones, where Qi transformation occurs. By stimulating these points with needles, acupuncture initiates physiological changes along the channel pathways, promoting the free flow of Qi and preventing stagnation, which is essential for maintaining health and treating diseases. Keown (2014) states that acupuncture points are merely the control centres of the messaging system within the body and the intra-cellular communication. In disease or through physiology, this can/will alter communication. Furthermore, he states that the channels of acupuncture are heavily related to fascia and fascial planes. Shaw (2020) wrote a PhD thesis on the anatomy of acupuncture, and in cadaveric sessions, she found that many of the acupuncture points were located near main arteries, veins and nerve bundles within the fascial plains. This could suggest why certain acupuncture points strongly affect the body, as the needle will influence the blood flow/circulation.
Acupuncture channels were discovered by ancient Chinese practitioners. They noticed that the sensation would radiate along a line by needling certain points. Furthermore, if an internal organ or area becomes diseased, they can detect that certain areas on the skin become discoloured or nodules appear on the skin (Figure 1). This has been further investigated by radioactive tracers that have been shown to migrate along a channel following an injection into acupuncture points (Figure 2).
(Figure 1: An image of skin disease along a meridian Wang et al. 2014)
(Figure 2: Radioactive tracers image)
Inserting a needle into the body first causes an increase in circulation (blood), the release of Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide (CGRP), and Vascular Dilation (opening of blood vessels), which leads to healing. For example, a needle may be inserted into the site of an injury, this will release Adenosine; as the needle is rotated, it binds to the C fibres (sensory nerves), which inhibits pain signals; the damaged cells then release opioids into the area, and as a result, there is pain relief.
Keown, D. (2014) The Spark in the Machine. Singing Dragon: London.
Shaw, V. (2020) The Anatomy of Acupuncture [Online] Available from: https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/the-anatomy-of-acupuncture(3f945934-2eba-41f7-9f09-e560580fa90c).html
Wang, G. Ayati, M-H. Zhang, W-B. (2010) Meridian Studies in China: A Systematic Review Journal of Acupuncture Studies 3(1): 1-9 [Online] Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259572793_Meridian_Studies_in_China_A_Systematic_Review
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