Acupuncture originated in China over two thousand years ago. The first ‘needles’ were made of stone. One end of this instrument was sharp for blood-letting and the regulating qi (energy circulation). The development of the theories of Yin-Yang; the five elements; 12 regular meridians and eight extra meridians came over the next few hundred years.

Yin and Yang represent two separate phenomena with opposing natures in the natural world around us, for example, day and night; movement and stillness. It also describes opposites within our own bodies, for example happy and sad. Everything in the natural environment is classified as either Yin or Yang and whilst they are opposite in nature, they complement each other. Neither can exist in isolation and their forces must balance. For both the world and our individual bodies, when these two interdependent aspects become unbalanced ‘dis-ease’ will occur.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) will look for a loss of relative balance between Yin and Yang in a person with dis-ease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) holds that the normal vital activities of the human body are based on the co-ordination of Yin and yang in a unity of opposites and so are mutually supportive of a body’s function.

The five elements of TCM are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. In early Chinese times, these were considered to be five indispensable materials for the maintenance of life and production. The TCM describe the character of: Wood is to grow and flourish, Fire is to be hot and flare up, Earth is to give birth to all things, Metal is to descend and be clear and Water is to be cold and to flow downwards. Using this analogy, early doctors classified body organs according to their nature, form and function, using the five elements. For example the heart is a fire element organ; the stomach is an earth element and the bladder is a water element organ. Each of these elements are interdependent in their interactions for our well being.

Qi, according to the ancient Chinese, is thought of as the fundamental substance making up the universe and all natural phenomena are produced by the changes and movement of Qi.

Qi, blood and body fluid are the substances which maintain all vital activities of the human body.

The meridians are the energy flow pathways through which the Qi and blood are circulated around our bodies. The basic system of meridians includes twelve regular meridian. The meridians are distributed both internally and externally over the body to allow full flow of Qi and blood to all our organs, skin, muscles, tendons and bones. This ensures relative equilibrium and normal function.

Each of the meridians have their own specific acupuncture points that can be used as points for acupressure as a means of self treatment or acupuncture needles, to be administered by a qualified practitioner. The qualified practitioner will listen to your description of your “dis-ease”. This will allow them to make a clinical decision on where to place the needles. This decision will take into account the relative affect of the five elements, any organs involved and which lines of energy are disrupted.

This will explain why sometimes a needle is inserted in an area apparently distant from the area of complaint. From the above description of TCM I hope you can now see that the Chinese treatment regards a poor functioning region of the body, to be a disruption of the body’s natural energy balance and as such the whole body needs to be placed back in balance.

Acupuncture is only part of Traditional Chinese medicine that we have adapted in the western world. The western world is slowly catching up with the idea that our body and mind work as a whole and need to function in synergy to be effective and without ‘dis-ease’.

Lynda Wheeler is a neurophysiotherapist working at Synergistics Wellness Centre.