Acupuncture: History, Benefits, and Contemporary Use

This article provides an overview of acupuncture, including its history, benefits, and contemporary use in healthcare. It discusses the holistic approach of acupuncture and its effectiveness in treating various disorders such as pain, anxiety, and digestive disorders. The article also explores the development of acupuncture over time and its current position in health provision.

Running head: ACUPUNCTURE
ACUPUNCTURE
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Introduction:
Holistic health is traditional approach where health is considered as the aspect of the
whole person and the ways by which individuals interact with their environment, rather than
focusing only illness of specific parts of the body. This approach emphasizes on the
connection of mind, body and spirit. One intervention that is based on this principle of health
is acupuncture. Acupuncture can be described as the form of treatment which is seen to
involve insertion of very fine thin needles through the skin of the person at specific points on
the body at various depths to experience positive health benefits. However, many of the
researchers have argued about its effectiveness in healthcare management other than pain.
However, the ways by which acupuncture works scientifically is still not clear among the
researchers and are mainly the debate for arguments (Highfield et al. 2016). Many of the
researchers claim that it mainly works by effective management of vital energy; others
believe that it has neurological effect (Trinh et al. 2017). Still it had remained controversial
among the western medical doctors, researchers and scientist. In this form of treatment, an
acupuncturist is mainly seen to insert needles into the body of the person with an aim that
would help in the balancing of the energy. As per claimed by traditional acupuncturists, it can
help in the boosting of the wellbeing and might cure different forms of illnesses. The working
procedures of this form of intervention are quite unique. This assignment would mainly cover
the contribution of this form of intervention into the society, its history and development and
its present position in healthcare provisions.
Contribution of acupuncture to health and well-being:
Health professionals use acupuncture to treat various disorders and ailments. Some of
them are headache, back pain, migraine and cases of sports injuries. Many of the researchers
are of the opinion that acupuncture provides more benefits than only relieving individuals

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from pain (Trinh et al. 2017). It has been found helpful in the treatment of the anxiety,
digestive disorders, insomnia and even menstrual problems. Weight control issues as well as
infertility is also found to be effectively managed with the help of acupuncture. Smoking
addiction, motor vehicle injuries, hip pain, shoulder pain, arthritis and many other disorders
are also controlled with the effective application of the acupuncture interventions.
On close analysis of the benefits of acupuncture, some of the researchers have found
out many physiological effects and health benefits of acupuncture as well (Highfield et al.
2016). One of such physiological effect is that it helps in increasing the peripheral circulation
of the body of many individuals. Moreover, it has also been found to be helpful in the
augmenting skin as well as muscle blood flow. In case of patients with hypertension,
acupuncture is also found to be helpful in decreasing the heart rate and along wise reducing
the elevated blood pressure. Studies have also found its efficiency in the regulation of the
autonomic nervous systems and even it helps in normalising of the gastro-intestinal motility
(Trinh et al. 2017). Many of the scientists also claim of their application in the boosting of the
immune system and even in the balancing of the reproductive hormones (Faircloth 2015).
All these therapeutic effects can help in the relaxation as well as reduction on the
muscle fatigue recovery time, pain reduction and improvement of the mood and
concentration. It can also help patients in experiencing the restful sleep and even in the
decrease on the IBS related symptoms like that of bloating and constipation and even in the
shortened duration of cold or flu. One of the studies had tried to find out whether it has any
efficiency in the treatment of the premenstrual syndrome (MacPherson et al. 2017).
Researchers have accepted that acupuncture is indeed helpful in the reduction and lightening
of depression and anxiety (Mu et al. 2017). Studies have shown that acupuncture also helps in
correction of the breech presentation an even in the induction of the labour (Lannucelli et al.
2017).

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Acupuncture is increasingly used in conjunction with the modern medical treatment.
Studies have also found out that this form of treatment is widely successful for the patients
who are undergoing in vitro fertilisation procedures (Vase et al. 2015). They are also found to
be excessively successful in controlling postoperative nausea and even vomiting. It even
helps in reduction of anxiety before surgery in the patients (Lund and Lunderberg 2016).
One of the studies has provided details about how acupuncture can help in the
treatment of the arthritis (MacPherson et al. 2017). Mostly, in western medication,
acupuncture had gained fame in the treatment of arthritis to which most of the affected
individuals tend to experience poor quality life. It has been found that benefits of the modern
medications often fall short in managing the disorder for the longer time. Often it results the
patients in taking powerful medications for a longer period of time to get relief from the joint
pain. In such situation, acupuncture helps by offering a different option for the reduction of
the painful as well as the debilating effects of the arthritis. According to the traditional belief
systems of acupuncture, there are 14 meridians which are actually called energy channels that
flow in the body. According to the acupuncture professionals, these help in the effective flow
of “qi” or natural body energy. These meridians help in corresponding to the specific key
nerve ending throughout the body. This acts as receptors for the impulses from the different
parts of the body specially like that of the knees, backs, joints, temples, facial muscles and
many others.
History and development of acupuncture:
The theory and the practice of the interventions of acupuncture is believed to have
originated in China. Data reveals that there was mention of acupuncture in the documents that
dates back to a few hundred years before the Common Era (Faircloth 2015). It has been
found that in the preliminary times earlier, sharpened stones and long sharpened bones were

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utilised in place of needles for treatment with acupuncture. The same instruments were also
utilised for simpler surgical procedures like that of lancing an abscess and many others.
Documents sealed around the times of 198 BCE were found to be present on the Ma-
Wang-Dui tomb in China. These documents have interestingly no references to the healthcare
intervention for the acupuncture procedures. However, they showed certain references to
systems of meridians. Studies have found that the traditional theory of acupuncture is based
on the belief that energy flows within the body of humans. They also believe that this energy
can well be channelized for creation of both health as well as balance. This energy flow had
been termed as qi which is mainly pronounced as “chee”.
The tattoo marks that had been found on the “Ice Man” who had died during the time
around 3300 BCE were similar to stimulatory treatments that the researchers believe to have
involved meridians. These Ice men were found during the Alpine glacier melting time.
Earliest documentation that has been seen to refer to the procedures of acupuncture is The
Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine and this dates back to around 100 BCE. The
information in this book is present as replies that learned minister Chhi-Po had given to the
questions asked by Emperor. This book had been found to include detailed knowledge
regarding the concepts of channels which actually are the meridians or conduits in which the
QI flows. However, the studies have also successfully found out that details of the precise
sites of acupuncture were developed much later (Tang 2018).
Acupuncture is believed to have been developed over the next few centuries.
Gradually, it became one of the most standard therapies to be used in China during those
times. Studies have revealed that acupuncture was complemented and thereby supported by
the utilisation of massage, herbs, heat therapy and even moxibustion (Chuang et al. 2015).

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It was during the times of the fifteenth century that Bronze statutes with points of
acupuncture that are seen to be used today were depicted. Historians believe that these statues
might have been used for teaching as well as examination purposes. Between the 14th and the
16th century, the Ming dynasty flourished (1368 to 1644) (Rueda et al. 2016). It is believed
that during this period, The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion had been
published with the principles of acupuncture based on which, modern practices of this
intervention were based. This book has been found to have description of 365 points that
represent openings of the channels through which needles could be inserted for modification
of the flow of Qi.
Contemporary use and positioning of acupuncture in health provision:
Acupuncture practitioners also known as acupuncturists utilise this intervention for
the treatment of wide range of health conditions. The National Institute for Health and Care
Excellence (NICE) had provided important guidelines for the NHS in the utilisation of
treatments and care of the patients. In the current times, NICE had recommended the
utilisation of acupuncture to be effective for the treatment options for chronic tension type
headaches and for migraines (Czarnawska-Iliev and Robinson 2016). NICE had also allowed
it utilisation for the treatment of other musco-skeletal conditions and pain conditions like
chronic pain like neck pain, joint pain, postoperative pain and dental pain.
Acupuncture is sometimes available on the NHS and is mainly provided
physiotherapists or general practitioners. However, the access is often limited. Most of the
acupuncture patients are seen to be paying for their private treatments. The cost of the
acupuncture is seen to vary widely among the different practitioners. Initial sessions are seen
to usually cost around £40 to £70. In case of further of the sessions, charges might range from
£25 to £60 (Birch et al., 2014).

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No statutory regulation of acupuncture can be found in the nation of England.
However, many of the non-medical acupuncture healthcare practitioners need to register with
the local authority. Patients are always advised that when they feel the need to have
acupuncture, they need to approach acupuncture practitioners who are either regulated
healthcare professionals like nurse, doctor or physiotherapists or they need to be member of a
recognised national acupuncture organisation (Trinh et al. 2017).
The British Acupuncture council is seen to hold a register or practitioners that had
been vetted as well as approved by the Professional Standards Authority. When an individual
would think of getting support through the intervention of acupuncture, they can easily visit
the website and thereby can find qualified acupuncturist near them. Acupuncture is
extensively used in UK with an estimation of 3.8 million acupuncture treatments delivered in
the year 2009. A recent meta-analysis that had been conducted on individual patient data
from nearly 18000 patients had demonstrated acupuncture to be effective for a range of
painful conditions (Highfield et al. 2016).
Conclusion:
From the above discussion, it becomes quite clear that acupuncture is a unique form
of therapy that follows the holistic health approach of patients. It helps in reducing
individuals from different forms of pain and even in cases of premenstrual syndromes,
anxiety, depression, IBS and others. It had been originated in China and various records had
been found in documents from China. It had been approved by NICE in certain disorders.
Practitioners need to have proper qualifications to practice it in the nation of United
Kingdom.

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References:
Birch, S., Lee, M.S., Robinson, N. and Alraek, T., 2017. The UK NICE 2014 guidelines for
osteoarthritis of the knee: Lessons learned in a narrative review addressing inadvertent
limitations and bias. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 23(4), pp.242-
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Chuang, S.F., Shih, C.C., Yeh, C.C., Lane, H.L., Tsai, C.C., Chen, T.L., Lin, J.G., Chen, T.
and Liao, C.C., 2015. Decreased risk of acute myocardial infarction in stroke patients
receiving acupuncture treatment: a nationwide matched retrospective cohort study. BMC
complementary and alternative medicine, 15(1), p.318.
Czarnawska-Iliev, I. and Robinson, N., 2016. General Practitioners’ use of and attitudes to
acupuncture in relation to the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
clinical guidelines—A pilot study. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 8(4), pp.342-
354.
Faircloth, A., 2015. Acupuncture: History from the Yellow Emperor to Modern Anesthesia
Practice. AANA journal, 83(4).
Highfield, E.S., Longacre, M., Chuang, Y.H. and Burgess Jr, J.F., 2016. Does Acupuncture
Treatment Affect Utilization of Other Hospital Services at an Urban Safety-Net
Hospital?. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 22(4), pp.323-327.
Iannuccelli, C., Guzzo, M.P., Atzeni, F., Mannocci, F., Alessandri, C., Gerardi, M.C.,
Valesini, G. and Di, M.F., 2017. Pain modulation in patients with fibromyalgia undergoing

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acupuncture treatment is associated with fluctuations in serum neuropeptide Y
levels. Clinical and experimental rheumatology, 35(3), pp.81-85.
Lund, I. and Lundeberg, T., 2016. Is acupuncture effective in the treatment of pain in
endometriosis?. Journal of pain research, 9, p.157.
MacPherson, H., Elliot, B., Hopton, A., Lansdown, H., Birch, S. and Hewitt, C., 2017.
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MacPherson, H., Vertosick, E.A., Foster, N.E., Lewith, G., Linde, K., Sherman, K.J., Witt,
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Vase, L., Baram, S., Takakura, N., Takayama, M., Yajima, H., Kawase, A., Schuster, L.,
Kaptchuk, T.J., Schou, S., Jensen, T.S. and Zachariae, R., 2015. Can acupuncture treatment
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