Scope and Effectiveness of Acupuncture

The scope and effectiveness of acupuncture is dependent largely on the skill of the practitioner and the willingness of the patient to change.

The practitioner needs the perception to assess the underlying causes that arc giving rise to the disorder and the ability to re-establish the flow of Qi through acupuncture. The patient needs to be open to the idea of change.

Acupuncture is used every day in many countries around the world to treat people with both acute and chronic disorders, ranging from conditions of mild discomfort, such as a headache, to serious organic problems, such as gallstones.

It may be used not only to treat back pain, coughs and colds or pre-menstrual tension, but also to influence the patient's 'Spirit'. To the Chinese the mind and the body are all part of one continuous whole, and both aspects may be affected with treatment.

In all cases, treatment works by activating the acupuncture points, which stimulates the body's own restorative and recuperative powers so that the natural state of balance and harmony that is commonly called good health can be restored.

An acupuncturist might say that treatment is analogous to removing a blockage to the natural flow of water, so that a stream i':ni clear itself and run freely again.