From the Latin word acus (sharp) and puncture (to pierce).
The foundation of this healing method was laid more than 2000 years ago by order of the Chinese emperors FU SHI, PA KUA and HUANG TI.
Yes, Emperor Huang Ti ordered all the knowledge to be collected in the classic book “Huang Ti Nei Jing”, the book on internal diseases, consisting of two parts: Su Wen and Ling Shu.
The transmission of medical knowledge was passed on from father to son or from teacher to student.
For years, people have meticulously observed and recorded sick people and disease patterns. The system therefore has an empirical or empirical basis.
No, during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) experienced a low point due to the rise of Western Medicine in China.
In the early fifties of the last century, Mao Zedong had Acupuncture and traditional Chinese Medicine in a broad and systematic scientific study carried out. This has led to the revival of medicine.
Acupuncture is a full-fledged healing method, which mainly emphasizes the whole person, so it is a holistic or total medicine, in contrast to Western medicine where diseases are usually approached symptomatically.
TCM evaluates the human being and his state of health energetically, one could say functionally. Western medicine looks more at anatomical structures, or material characteristics of humans.
There is a network of energy channels in the human being, also called meridians, in which all energy moves in a balanced and harmonious way.
When the energy is brought out of balance, imbalances arise: somewhere there is too much, somewhere there is a shortage of energy or the energy no longer circulates (= stagnation). Those imbalances lead to pain and/or illness.
There are roughly two groups: the yang energy and the yin energy. Yin and yang are definitions of both contradictory and complementary concepts. They are each other’s opposite, but they cannot exist without each other. There is a little yang in all yin and a little yin in all yang. Here is the equation of a number of elements as an example:
YANG: sky, energy, day, warm, active, sun, sets in motion, outside, above
YIN: earth, matter, night, cold, passive, moon, maintains movement, inside, below.
12 main meridians, named after the 12 organs. 8 extra or miracle meridians and a number of secondary meridians.
The acupuncture points are well-defined places on the meridians, where one can exert the best effect on the circulation and the balance of energy. These points only have a diameter of +/- 1 mm and must therefore be very carefully searched for treatment. Each meridian has its specific number of points.
E.g.: the Stomach meridian has 45 points, the Bladder meridian 67. The total number of meridian points is 365. In addition, there are many extra points that lie outside the meridians.
Depending on the location, the depth varies from a few millimeters to a few centimeters.
The insertion of the needle is hardly felt. When the needle is at the right depth, the therapist applies a needle technique. This gives either an electric shock or a feeling of heaviness. The Chinese call this ‘Deqi’ and this is also necessary to influence an acupuncture point.
In general, one can say that the more acute a problem is, the faster the reaction occurs, the more chronic, the slower. Sometimes one treatment is even sufficient to resolve a recent or acute complaint. In the case of chronic complaints, one can expect improvement after just a few (4-5) treatments.
BAF acupuncturists only work with sterile disposable needles and not with self-sterilized needles. This is from a hygienic and safety point of view.
Seldom. Sometimes a nervous person can feel nauseous for a while during a first acupuncture treatment. Your experienced therapist will remedy this immediately.