The Story of Acupuncture

by Silvia Ferreira

What is the history of acupuncture?

Acupuncture is one of the practices of Chinese medicine and dates back to Ancient China although there is quite a lot of speculation about exactly when it began!

The precursor to acupuncture began as far back as the Stone Age, with special stones called Bian Stones. These stones were shaped in a way that they could be pushed onto the surface of the body at specific points to relieve pain. Sometimes Bian stones were heated too! Bian stones eventually were replaced by acupuncture needles which would pierce the skin at certain points instead of just pushing the skin. The heating of Bian stones is thought to be the precursor to another form of Chinese medicine called moxibustion.

Other evidence for acupuncture includes finding gold and silver needles in the tomb of Liu Sheng which date back to 100BC. Liu Sheng was a prince and son of Emperor Jing so he would have had the best healthcare available at the time! However, historians are not 100% certain that these needles were used for acupuncture, although it’s speculated that they were! So, as you can see the clear start of acupuncture is a little murky, but we can all agree it’s an ancient art.

What do the needles do in acupuncture?

The Ancient Chinese proposed that problems in the body occurred as a result of blockages in Qì. Qì means life force and represents vital energy running through the body. The idea is that Qì runs through the body in lines called Meridians. If there is a blockage of the flow of Qi through these meridians, then this will result in health problems.

Acupuncture uses very fine needles at specific points on the body to release Qì blockages. Stimulation of these points seeks to promote harmonious flows of blood, fluids and vital energy (Qì in Chinese). With the regulation of these flows, the body can regain normal functioning and restore physical and emotional health.

Acupuncture is only one part of Traditional Chinese Medicine though and often practitioners will use other techniques too such as: moxibustion, herbal medicine, cupping, guasha and body therapies such as Tui Ná (Chinese Medical Massage).

How can acupuncture at Soco Therapies help you?

Acupuncture can help you with a wide variety of physical and mental health problems,

Chinese medicine tools help you to re-establish vital flows and guide you towards better lifestyle habits. I use these in combination with Chinese diet therapy too. This means that my patients are actively involved in their recovery and not just passive participants. I like my patients to feel power over their health and know that they can trust their bodies to heal.

The art of acupuncture is knowing how to combine points according to what each of my patients presents with. My treatments are always individualized and take into account the organic dynamics of you as an individual person.

I am also trained to provide shiatsu massage, lymphatic drainage, and cupping and I use all of these in a personalised combination that works to treat your problems.

My parting message

Every human being is unique and health problems cannot be treated with a single protocol for all people. It takes sensitivity, knowledge, and experience to see beyond a collection of symptoms. If you would like to see what acupuncture can do for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch!