Acupuncture is among the oldest medical procedures in the world originated from China more than 5, 000 years ago. It became well-known in the United States in the early 1970s. Traditionally, Acupuncture is based on meridian to the nervous and blood circulatory systems. According to this theory, acupuncture regulates this flow of Qi, nourishing those areas where Qi is deficient and draining from deregulated areas of the body. Thus, acupuncture regulates the harmonious and energetic balance of the body. Acupuncture is not a single procedure, but instead it refers to various techniques which involves the penetrating the skin with very thin solid, metallic needle that are manipulated by hand or electrical stimulation and, Cupping, Tuina, Moxibustion, Guasha, and the Deep Tissue Therapies
In TCM, medical therapies are often classified as either “external” or “internal” treatments. The external methods include:
Chinese cupping therapy is a process of suctioning or vacuuming sections of the body’s meridian system for the purpose of draining out the toxins, pain management, increasing blood flow, and promoting a healthic or flow of Qi energy.
Tuina methods include the use of hand techniques to massage the soft tissues (muscles and tendons) of the body, acupressure technique to directly affect the flow of Qi, and manipulation technique to realign the musculoskeletal and ligamentous relationships (bone-setting). External herbal poultices, compresses, liniments, and salves are also used to enhance the other therapeutic methods.
Moxibustion is a method for treating and preventing diseases through the application of heat to certain acupuncture points. Moxa is usually found in the shape of a cigar and is made of mugwort leaves. Moxa generates a great deal of heat , when applied near or on the skin surface, helps to relieve channel obstructions caused by dampness or cold, it is effective in curing chronic problems such as stomach or indigestion cold problems, numbness and weakness. After moxibustion, the white and red corpuscles and body’s immunity to disease are increased.