Written by: Diya Bajracharya - 23021, Grade XI
Posted on: 30 November, 2021
Acupuncture, which originated in China millennia ago is an alternative medical treatment that involves stimulating specific points on the body, most typically with a needle penetrating the skin, to reduce pain or aid treat various health issues. This method is based on the principle of life forces: Yin and Yang.
The discovery of acupuncture belongs to the battle that took place in China many years ago. Once the soldiers who were previously unhealthy were found to have been cured by the arrows in the battle. Then the Chinese thought that if needles are placed at a certain depth and for a certain duration, diseases can be cured. At first, they made needles out of stones and started using them in healing. Gradually they made the needles of bones, metals such as iron and silver. It is currently practiced all around the world. The principles behind acupuncture get their roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The main idea is to create a balance throughout the body. The acupuncturist inserts ultra-fine needles into certain acupressure spots that relate to different organ systems in the body during an acupuncture treatment.
The principle on which acupuncture depends believes that all forms of life are controlled by the two movements of energy: Yin and Yang. These movements are also called life forces. Yin is believed to be the outward moving life force that tends to produce calm. And Yang is the inward moving life force, which tends to increase activity. These life forces move around the body along 26 life lines connected to different parts and organs of our body.
The health of the body depends on the appropriate balance between these lives for life forces. If Yin is more, our body gets underactive and if Yang is more, our body gets overactive. The 26 lines are known as life forces. It is viewed that there are over 800 needle points along these lines. In the treatment of disease, needles are placed in the skin at different points. The needles maintain the balance between the function of Yin and Yang. Needles are placed at different points of various depths and for different periods of time, depending upon the disease of the patient.
Acupuncture is one of the earliest and cheapest methods of healing. It seems to be very useful in developing countries like Nepal. Many diseases are easily cured through this method
