Canadian College of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese medicine involving the insertion of solid filiform acupuncture needles into the skin at specific points on the body to achieve a therapeutic effect. No drug is injected. The needles alone create the beneficial effects of acupuncture. Acupuncture is used to encourage natural healing, improve mood and energy, reduce or relieve pain and improve function of affected areas of the body.

It is safe and effective and is often successfully used as an alternative to medications or even surgery. Relief is often obtained with acupuncture when traditional medical therapy has failed. Acupuncture needles are very fine, flexible and rounded but sharp at the tip.

They are ‘atraumatic’, meaning that they do not have a cutting edge like a hypodermic needle. Acupuncture points (also referred to as ‘acupoints’) are places on the skin that have a lower resistance to the passage of electricity than the surrounding skin and are part of a network of points that were approved by researches .

Acupoints are located either by identifying anatomical landmarks. Tthe practitioner may manipulate the needles. Lifting, twisting, and rotating are some of the needling techniques a practitioner may use. Other related techniques:

• Electro-acupuncture: needles are electrically stimulated by various frequencies and voltages by attachment to a battery-powered machine using wires with small clips on the ends. Low frequency stimulation and High frequency stimulation.

• Auricular acupuncture: the ear is a ‘micro system’, meaning that there is a point on the ear that represents every part of the body 2. The development of a topographical approach to the use of ear points for treating systemically began with Dr. Paul Nogier in Lyon, France in the 1950s.

• Acupressure: a technique involving pressure on acupuncture points using the thumbs or fingers, capable of giving relief of symptoms in responsive individuals.