Do you think the practice of acupuncture is “magic” (or even “voodoo”)? Many people do! However, the reason behind how it works is actually based on proven theory that has been in practice for thousands of years.
In Eastern medicine, pain and sickness happens when the qi (pronounced chi, as in energy) and/or the blood stagnates or is deficient through a very specific meridian – or pathway – through the body. For example, here’s a list of standard ailments and their related meridians:
- Shingles and stress are related to the gallbladder and liver meridians;
- Back pain is related to the kidney meridian;
- Weight gain is related to the spleen/stomach meridian;
- Depression is related to the heart/lung meridian;
- Headaches and stress affect the liver meridian (this can also be a sign of heart blood stagnation);
- Swollen feet and ankles can be related to many meridians;
- Sinusitis is related to the lung/spleen/stomach meridians;
- Coughs and flus are related to the lung/spleen/stomach meridians;
Because we know that these ailments are directly related to the energy flow through the respective meridians, alleviation and dissipation of any of them happens when the energy flow is corrected – which is exactly what acupuncture does.
Many people are astounded that acupuncture treats almost any ailment imaginable based on this simple connection between qi, blood flow, and meridians. I love explaining this relationship, because it helps them understand how I can help!
