by Judy Thompson

Created on: May 21, 2009   Last Updated: May 23, 2009

Acupuncture originates from the Latin words acus (needles) and pungere (prick), or Zhen jiu, which translates as standard mandarin. It is the technique in which one inserts thin needles into a person's body on certain points to manipulate the energy flow and restore the patient's well being back to harmony or balance from that which is ailing them at the time.

It is thought that acupuncture originated from China, as it has been used for years in traditional Chinese medicine. Archaeologists have found evidence in China that acupuncture was used during the Han Dynasty dating back from 202 B.C. to 220 A.D. However, it is uncertain if acupuncture truly originated in China, as the discovery within ancient ruins of sharp pointed stones called Bian Stones, were used to help treat diseases. Not only that, but in the early medical text of the Chinese medicine, dating back 68 B.C., there was no documentation of acupuncture or a treatment that resembled it.

There have been many other forms of acupuncture discovered besides the traditional Chinese acupuncture of using the five elements that treat the mind, body, heart, and spirit. Other traditional medicine systems, such as the Korean and Japanese, have documented using a form of acupuncture. They are described as follows:

1. Korean Acupuncture called Chimsul is the same type of acupuncture as described in the traditional Chinese medicine. They, also, use like a five element chart in order to release the stagnate energies that have been ailing the patient and causing certain illnesses. The Korean, also, have a form that they have discovered called hand acupuncture. Hand acupuncture addresses any condition on or within the body by applying treatment to certain points on the hands.

2. Japanese Acupuncture called Kampo is a form of acupuncture, which uses touch to diagnose ailments and the exact location. Then the acupuncturist would insert the thin needles in the relevant acupuncture point to release the energy to flowing again. The acupuncturist would, also, accompany the needles with a warming of the acupoints by burning a substance from the wormwood plant called moxa. This would release the toxins within those points, which would bring harmony back into the acupoints.

3. Western Acupuncture is an alternative medicine used in the West to treat certain illnesses, including pain. This is due to the fact, that in the West a lot of medicines are being prescribed for minor ailments that can be treated by other means and people are getting addicted to them. The Western acupuncture uses the same philosophy as in the traditional Chinese medicine.

4. Tibetan Acupuncture is relatively the same as in the traditional Chinese medicine. However, even though their principles are the same, the needles are not. The needles are much shorter than that in the traditional Chinese medicine. In Tibetan acupuncture, if you have lower back pain, they will usually target the head for pain relief. Just as if you had a headache, they would target the feet.

No matter where acupuncture originated from, the principles are all about the same. They reflect on the five elements and certain acupoints within the body, in order to release the pain or toxins that are causing ailments and get the energy to flowing throughout the body.

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