Is Acupuncture Placebo or For Real?

Acupuncture is becoming more widely accepted as a medical treatment by those who seek treatments, but not by those who come from the conventional medical community. This is due to the fact that the latter comes from the Western science-based healing methods, while the former comes from the Eastern methods of healing – specifically China. The origin of acupuncture is not clear, although it supposedly started during the ancient times. The Chinese have developed another related treatment called acupressure. While acupressure is performed with heated cups, acupuncture is with needles.

You may have seen these ancient Chinese methods of treatments in movies. In “The Matrix”, acupuncture was used to help the protagonist, Neo, move his muscles. In the newest “Karate Kid” film, acupressure was used to alleviate the pain that the protagonist felt after getting injured on two separate occasions. The presentation of these Chinese healing techniques in films only gave way to more perceptions that they are more of mystical nature than a medical one. For this reason, they are never really accepted as a medical method. The practitioners don’t even don dickies scrubs, unlike the usual members of the medical team who have Cherokee or landau 8335 or what have you.

Acupuncture is heavily based on the ancient Chinese concept of Chi. According to the Chinese teachings, Chi is the energy that flows all around us as well as within us. A good flow of Chi in your home brings about good luck. You may already know this if you are familiar in the concept of Feng Shui. On the other hand, a good flow of Chi inside your body brings about good health. When there is a disruption in the flow of Chi, which happens when there are blockages that reroute the Chi flow, an abnormality results, such as pain or illness.

If you base it on traditional Chinese theory, acupuncture aims to remove those blockages and bring balance to the Chi flow inside your body. This is done through inserting needles in specific points, often called the “Chi points”. Once the needles are inserted, they are manipulated so as to remove the blockages. Sometimes, a small electric current is run through the needles. Think of this as “jumpstarting” your muscles. This is the best way to describe acupuncture, as there really is no scientific evidence as to how it actually works. While that is the case, the positive results yielded by the method cannot be denied by the medical community. That is why acupuncture remains on the threshold of being accepted as a medical approach, but never really gets there.

This brings us to the question as to whether or not it is merely a placebo, but to consider it would be a bit of an insult to thousands of years that it is practiced in the Chinese community. Up to now, studies are still being conducted as to how it really works. You shouldn’t really question if acupuncture is a placebo or not. Regardless of what it is, the bottom line is that it works. So if you are experiencing body pains and you have tried everything to alleviate it to no success, then acupuncture could be just right for you.