An introduction to Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the world’s oldest and most commonly used medical procedures. It is widely used in the United States. Acupuncture can be used alone as an alternative, or complementary with other medical systems. More than 2,000 years old, the practice is fairly new to North America. Before 1971, though available to the public, acupuncture was hardly mainstream. It became much better known after James Reston’s July, 1971 New York Times front page story. In that month and year, Reston, a Pulitzer prize winning New York Times Journalist traveled to China along with Henry Kissinger, then Secretary of State. The purpose of their visit was to prepare for President Nixon’s historical visit the following year. On the trip, Reston fell ill with acute appendicitis and had an emergency appendectomy in a Peking Hospital. Post-operatively, Reston was in a great deal of discomfort and was treated with acupuncture for pain relief. Very impressed with his pain relief, upon returning to the States, Reston wrote an article in the Times about his experience with acupuncture. A second development which helped propel acupuncture into the American mainstream came from the Food And Drug Administration (FDA). In 1997, the FDA changed the classification of Acupuncture needles from Class III “experimental, investigational de- vices” to Class II “safe and effective” devices. The needles would be for general use by licensed, registered or certified practitioners. Devices must be sterile, single use only and disposable. Next, again in 1997, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a statement documenting Acupuncture’s safety and efficacy for a range of health conditions.

Commonly asked questions about Acupuncture

1. Is it safe and does it hurt?
2. How does it work?
3. How long does it take and how often do you need it?

Acupuncture is one of the safest known medical procedures. Accidents and side effects are rare. Needles used are very different from the hypodermic commonly used in hospitals, clinics, laboratories etc. Both are metallic, but hypodermics are much thicker, hollow and sharp. Acupuncture needles are extremely thin (hair-thin), very flexible and solid with a rounded tip. Insertion of an acupuncture needle results in sensations described as dull, moving.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, of which Acupuncture is a part, theorizes that there are more than 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body which connect with 12 main and 8 secondary pathways which traverse the entire body. The body’s energy, called Qi (pronounced “chee”), moves through these pathways. As long as this energy flows freely, there is no imbalance or disease. When blockages occur, problems like pain are the result. By placing needles into acupuncture points, the body’s energy can be accessed to restore the free flow of energy through its pathways. A qualified acupuncture practitioner examines the tongue, pulse, skin and other areas for signs of imbalance.
Needles are inserted, retained for 20 minutes to an hour then removed. During and after treatment some feel energized and some are relaxed. Typically, a course of treatment ranges from once to twice weekly for 10 - 15 treatments.

Practitioners of acupuncture must be licensed by the state and/or nationally certified. According to the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM), to qualify for national certification and license, acupuncturists must complete a total of 3,349 hours of training plus 1,032 hours of clinical internship in a master’s degree or master’s level program. MD acupuncturists generally are certified and must complete a minimum of 300 hours of training which includes 100 hours of clinical training according to the Board of

Medical Acupuncture Standards (BMAS).
For more information, please contact Anthony Gines, from The Breath of Life, (845) 562- 4003.