Why Acupuncture Works

Acupuncture Center

Practiced in Mid-Cities area since 1985

Why Acupuncture Works?
The Explanations from Western Medicinal Point of View:

By Dr. Chung-Hwei Chernly 10/20/03

Our bodies have a well designed self repairing, self healing system. Sometimes, this system will get into trouble, such because we over use it, abused it, injured it, or we are invaded. When this occurs, our system needs assistant to stimulate the self healing attributes to start to working again. This is where acupuncture steps into place. When a person is in pain or ill, the acupuncturist will insert needles to certain part of the body, with a special skill to trigger the system which helps the body heal itself. Therefore, pain is gone. The illness and inflammation are gone and body is healed.

Thousand years ago, Chinese physicians tried to find out the detailed mechanism for that healing systems, and they did very well. However,. because they lacked the information of modern sciences, such as physics, biochemistry, microbiology , and so on, the well established Chinese theories are so far very difficult to understand. They are also not easy to prove. Therefore, we don't have a vocabulary that describes accurately why or how acupuncture works. Using my knowledge of modern medicine and combining that with my knowledge of the ancient Chinese theories, I will attempt to describe acupuncture's workings.

1. Restore resting potential on the cell membrane

2. Gate theory - different group of nerve fibers

3. Pain threshold reset

4. ATP - recycling mechanism

5. Endorphins

6. Enkephalins, Serotonin, ACTH, Epinephrine, Acetyl-choline

7. Neuro-hormonal relationship

8. Others

(Above detailed text of explanation will be in different document)