Acupuncture

Acupuncture

    Many people in the US and elsewhere suffer from musculoskeletal conditions, digestive disorders, and stress-related problems (such as headaches, anxiety, and insomnia), and more often than not, the majority of these people immediately seek someone trained in traditional Western medicine for help. However, what most of these people are unaware of is that there is another option: acupuncture. Beyond being recognized by the World Health Organization for being able to cure over forty medical problems (Facklam 37), acupuncture has drastically fewer incidences of adverse side effects than traditional Western medical treatments (Acupuncture Is a Useful Treatment). There is a sumptuous amount of data to support acupuncture as a legitimate form of medical treatment (Acupuncture Is a Useful Treatment). Yet many remain skeptical, and most are unaware as to what this procedure involves and how it works.

    Acupuncture originated in China over 3,000 years ago (Facklam 30).  It was formed on the traditional Chinese medicine concepts of Qi (the energy of life), Yin and Yang, and the Meridian System. Qi is a vital life force that flows throughout the body (Facklam 30). There are two types of Qi, yin and yang. Yin and yang exist as two polar opposites, the balance of both being essential to a person's well-being. Yin is characterized as female, calmer and more passive than yang, while yang is male, active and progressive. These energies are carried throughout the body along pathways called meridians. These meridians are invisible lines that transport qi evenly to different parts of the body (Kowalski 49-51). An obstruction in a meridian can cause an imbalance of qi (too much yin not enough yang, vice versa), which then in ...
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