Acupuncture is an ancient technique in which the practitioner inserts hair-thin needles into specific points on the body to prevent or treat illness. Practiced for over 2,500 years in China, where it originated, acupuncture is part of the holistic system of traditional Chinese medicine, which views health as a constantly changing flow of energy, or qi (pronounced "chee"). Acupuncture helps regulate imbalances in this natural flow of energy, which result in illness, pain and disease.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, qi flows through the body via 14 primary meridians, or channels. To strengthen the flow of qi or remove blockages in the meridians, an acupuncturist inserts a number of tiny, sterile, flexible needles just under the skin at certain specific points (called acupoints) along the channels. There are thousands of acupoints along the meridians, which are associated with specific internal organs or organ systems. If you are suffering from nausea, for example, needles might be inserted into acupoints on your wrist, while a vision problem might be treated with needles in the foot. (some practitioners also commonly use Ear, scalp and hand points.) Traditional Chinese medicine proponents believe that acupuncture stimulates the body's internal regulatory system and nurtures a natural healing response. Although traditional Western science has neither proven nor accepted the notion of qi, a large body of evidence is accumulating indicating that acupuncture leads to real physiologic changes in the body. Numerous studies have shown, for example, that inserting needles into the skin stimulates nerves in the underlying muscles. This stimulation, researchers believe, sends impulses up the spinal cord to a relatively primitive part of the brain known as the limbic system, as well as to the midbrain and the pituitary gland. Somehow that signaling leads to the release of endorphins and monoamines, chemicals that block pain signals in the spinal chord and brain. In one study, researchers using brain scans discovered that acupuncture can alter blood circulation within the brain, increasing the blood flow to the thalamus, the area of the brain that relays pain and other sensory messages.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

While the needles can feel uncomfortable at times, they rarely hurt. They are very thin (only about three times the thickness of a human hair and much finer than the hypodermic needles used to give injections) and are designed to enter the skin with little resistance. They may be left in for 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the ailment. Different people experience different sensations from acupuncture. Some describe a tingling pins-and-needles feeling, others may feel numbness or nothing at all. Most find the sessions relaxing, and many fall asleep during or immediately after treatment. Some patients notice rapid improvement after just a few sessions. In those whose conditions have taken years to develop, treatment may take longer.

HEALTH BENEFITS

While scores of illnesses have traditionally been treated by acupuncture in Asia, its primary use in the West has been to relieve chronic pain--caused by such ailments as arthritis, headache, PMS, and back pain--and to assist withdrawal from addictions such as smoking, drug and alcohol dependency. It can also be effective in the treatment of mental and emotional disorders.