Acupuncture is a well known ancient healing modality that is a component of the greater canon of Chinese Medicine. It is used to treat people with a wide range of conditions including but not limited to digestive disturbances, gynecology and fertility issues, pain management, and mental health conditions. It has become increasingly popular as many people are seeking various ways to heal and to support their health.
There is a huge compendium of ancient and historical texts filled with knowledge passed down and embellished upon through thousands of years of active use in the East. However, practitioners in the West are still exploring and determining a working language around how this modality actually works. In recent years, there has been a tremendous amount of scientific research emerging studying the mechanisms and the physiological functions surrounding how acupuncture works from a more modern perspective.
There are many questions that remain unanswered and it continues to be studied at length, but there is some understanding from a biomedical perspective. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends and recognizes acupuncture as a valid treatment for over a hundred conditions. Though we are still trying to figure out exactly how acupuncture works, we do know it works.
There is promising research on the horizon, but there are some limitations of applying the scientific method onto acupuncture. Some of the biggest obstacles are a lack of funding for this research, and, more importantly, a lack of appropriately designed research models and controlled trials to provide the data sufficient for the scientific community and western minds. Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine treats each person individually, so large trials with standard points are not always reliable due to the variation and complexities of health conditions of each person.
While there remains a lot more to know and understand about this ancient healing tradition, there are positive conclusions being drawn and burgeoning research supporting the efficacy of this modality.
