What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an ancient millenarian medical science that treats, recovers and maintains health by inserting needles in specific points throughout the surface of the body. These points target specific energetic zones in the human body.

Acupuncture is based on the handling of energy that has two manifestations, a Yin and a Yang. The interactions of these two energies are essential to life. This energy flows with more intensity in certain points of the body that we denominate as acupuncture points. Using these points we can handle and correct energy imbalances.

Acupuncture considers the human body as a one, something that our western medicine lamentably has forgotten or left side. We have divided and subdivided the human body, until arriving to the infinitely small, often forgetting the operation of all the parts that constitute it. Further more, throughout the centuries, we have separated the material body from the psychic conflicts, as if they were independent of one another. Ignoring that body and psyche is a single unit, and that many diseases are based on these conflicts, causes our medicine to fail. A disease takes place when in our confrontation with the world we are unable to maintain balance.

At the present time we know that each emotional state, goes accompanied by the suffering of a certain organ involving the organism as a whole. In order to coexist with this reality it is necessary to rethink our lifestyles, get involved and be more responsible with our health. We should watch for our emotions and the impact that these are causing in our organism. Give the body an integral maintenance so that we can succeed against our daily confrontations that surround us.

Acupuncture is one of those tools that help us achieve this goal. It offers a real possibility to regulate the energy in the organism. Acupuncture is a deep science that works at many levels. Acupuncture has its indications, and like any therapy, their results will depend on how good a diagnosis is made, ability, professional preparation, common sense and criterion of the professional who applies it.

Today we are confronted with two medicines. Acupuncture and western medicine do not have to be rivals. When both are complemented effectively the results to the patient are exceptional. It is necessary to use all possible tools to aid the patient, because it is clear that we cannot solve everything with bistouries or tablets. Acupuncture is an effective therapeutic technique without detrimental effects, obviously in hands of experts. Acupuncture therapy is now recognized and spread widely everywhere in the world as a therapeutic method that does not use drugs. This is extremely important when dealing with patients who are allergic to some medicine.

Acupuncture counts at the moment with more than 3,000,000 acupuncturists in the world. Being in many countries a medical specialty covered by social security.

   What is moxibustion?

Moxibustion is the process of heating acupunctural points with cones or cigarettes, made of dry leaves of Artemisa Vulgaris. Moxibustion is used in acute or chronic diseases, preventive and also used as a complement to needle therapy. The thermal stimulus goes from a smooth to a strong cauterization.

Needles can also be stimulated with low voltage current (electro acupuncture). Another form of stimulation is laser-acupuncture and the simple digitpuncture (pressure and massage of the points), very popular in children.

   What is phytotherapy?

It is the science that cures with medicinal plants which is complemented with acupuncture. It is the Chinese pharmacology based on the plants.

   What can acupuncture treat?

In the Western world, acupuncture is believed to be useful only to treat pain. In effect, acupuncture is extremely effective in those cases and conditions where the endorphins are involved. Examples of this pain are: migraines, postoperative pain, arthrosis, stress, etc...

With the same effectiveness, acupuncture also deals with a great variety diseases, such as asthma, insomnia, enuresis, arterial hypertension, menstrual disorders, menopause, bronchitis, pregnancy handling, diarrheas, colon problems, mental fatigue, chemotherapy, etc.

Aside from treating a symptom, acupuncture deals with the patient in an integral form, recovering the balance between its physical, emotional and spiritual state. People do acupuncture and phytotherapy (therapy with medicinal plants) as a form of prevention.

Nowadays, acupuncture can be used to treat more than 300 diseases, being very effective at more than 60. In December of 1979, the World Health Organization (WHO) suggested that around 43 diseases could be dealt with acupuncture.

These diseases are:

Respiratory apparatus: Acute Sinusitis, common flu, acute bronchitis, and asthma.

Ophthalmologic diseases: Acute Conjunctivitis, children myopia and cataracts.

Oral diseases: teeth pain, dental post extraction and gingivitis.

Stomach and intestinal diseases: acute-chronic gastritis, chronic duodenal ulcer, acute and chronic colitis, constipation and diarrheas.

Diseases of the nervous system: Headache, migraine, neuralgia, vertigo, stress, face paralysis (if it has not passed more than 3-6 months of the incident), incomplete paraplegia after hemorrhage by peripheral-neural disease, sequels of poliomyelitis (in cases of not more than 6 months of duration) and syndrome of Menier.

Gynecological and obstetrical diseases: menopause syndrome, irregular menstruations, faintness and vertigo in the pregnancy.

   What do you feel during and after treatment?


Usually a slowness sensation, sometimes a light cramp followed by a sensation of peace and relaxation. After the session, the person is apt to go home without any collateral problems.



   How long are the treatments?

This will depend on the pathology at issue, whether it is acute or chronic, and depending on the patient response to the therapy. Cycles are generally of 10 sessions.

   When are the effects noticeable?

After the fifth session the effects become noticeable and start to settle down for definitive well-being. Often the changes settle almost imperceptibly, in others it is immediate, it will depend on the pathology at issue, but throughout the treatment the benefits become evident.