Although many people are familiar with acupuncture, it’s useful to understand its root in traditional Chinese medicine – although this won’t shed light on how it works. According to ancient Chinese medical theory, the life force, or chi, flows through the body via invisible channels called meridians, which were mapped by Chinese medicine practitioners over the centuries. The meridians and the corresponding acupoints along them act like a valve system that allows chi to flow from one organ to another. There are 12 main meridians and these run along pathways that correspond with particular organs. In classic Chinese medicine a balance of chi is necessary to experience good health and overall wellbeing. Meridians can become blocked when the flow of chi is impeded by poor diet, bad posture or an unhealthy lifestyle. A prolonged blockage is said to cause disease and pain. The acupuncturist finds out whether there’s an excess or deficiency of chi flow in certain meridians, and then fine-tunes these valves, or acupoints, mostly by applying thin, strong needles to acupoints. The patient may experience a tingling sensation, numbness, warmth, heaviness or soreness. These sensations are said to be indicators of chi flow being stimulated. How acupuncture works is a mystery, but research suggests that it may stimulate or depress some functions of the nervous system. For example, it’s been shown to stimulate the release of endorphin, a natural pain-killer, and make the pituitary and adrenal glands release anti-inflammatory chemicals, making it useful for pain relief. Studies have shown that acupuncture may be useful in treating osteoarthritis, joint pain, tendonitis, asthma, migraines, post-operative and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, depression, stroke rehabilitation, infertility and menstrual problems. People also seek help for problems such as strokes, muscular-skeletal disorders, migraines, dizziness, insomnia and facial palsy. Some precautions should be noted. It may not be suitable for those with high blood pressure or a resting heart rate over 100. In addition, it’s not recommended for those with blood clotting disorders or severe heart, mental and diabetic conditions. Consult your physician or TCM practitioner before taking any medicine Angela Collingwood and Rose Tse  info@shen-nong.com Edited by Suzanne Harrison suzanne.harrison@scmp.com Published: October 31, 2005 Source: South China Morning Post