What is acupuncture?

The philosophy

Acupuncture is a medicine thousands of years old that originated in Asia, mainly in China. In the philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), everything that exists is explained by the interactions of Yin and Yang. Yin represents water, Cold, calm, the feminine, night, the Earth, the body, form, etc. Yang represents Fire, Heat, movement, the masculine, Day, the sky, the mind, the immaterial, etc.

Human beings are therefore the result of exchanges between Heaven (Yang) and Earth (Yin), which is why TCM says that humans stand between Heaven and Earth and represent the microcosm in the image of the macrocosm (the universe). In other words, the same phenomena that occur in nature can occur in the human body. We can therefore observe phenomena of Cold (chills, contractures, apathy, lack of movement, etc.), Heat (agitation, high fever, burning sensations, etc.), Wind (itching, sudden headaches, dizziness, pain that moves around, etc.) and Dampness (heaviness, abundant mucus, masses, etc.) that affect people just as climatic factors affect nature.

How it works, the Eastern view: the meridian system

The interactions of Yin and Yang form a vital energy called Qi (chi). This energy flows through the body by way of the meridians. The network of meridians was not invented at random by TCM. By stimulating certain areas of the body with pointed objects, the Chinese noticed that the stimulation caused energy to radiate depending on the area stimulated. Little by little, they developed a complex system of meridians in which each organ has its own system. So by stimulating certain areas of the body called acupuncture points, we can restore the flow of energy and bring health back to the organ and its area of action. Illness can set in when there is an imbalance between yin and yang, and it is by restoring this balance that acupuncture heals.

Acupuncture draws on the body’s natural healing mechanisms. One of its strengths is that it considers the person as a whole (body and soul) with their strengths and weaknesses, which is called the person’s terrain. Acupuncture therefore treats the signs and symptoms of an illness while also treating its underlying cause (a weakness of the terrain).

How it works, the Western view

If acupuncture does not yet have the place it deserves in Western health care, it is because its workings are not well understood. Energy and meridians are intangible and are not recognized by the scientific community. To explain these two concepts, the most widely accepted theories are gate control and diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC, or the descending inhibition system).

Gate control theory: A non-painful stimulus can inhibit a pain message. A-alpha, A-beta and A-gamma nerve fibres carry non-painful nerve impulses, while A-delta and C nerve fibres carry nociceptive (painful) impulses. So by stimulating the A-alpha, A-beta and A-gamma fibres with acupuncture, pain can be inhibited.

Descending inhibition system: When the nociceptive A-delta and C nerve fibres are stimulated, the nerve impulse travels up to the brainstem, where it is processed. Substances (neurotransmitters) such as serotonin, noradrenaline and endorphins are released in response to painful stimuli. These neurotransmitters are euphoric and relieve pain. So with strong stimulation of the acupuncture needle, the A-delta and C fibres can be activated in the hope of relief through the release of these euphoric substances.

These two theories can explain the pain-relieving effect of acupuncture, but they do not account for its other effects; acupuncture relieves much more than pain.

Acupuncture in Quebec

Although acupuncture is thousands of years old (5,000 to 7,000 years), it only became known in Quebec in the 1960s. It has been taught at Collège de Rosemont since 1986 and has had its own professional order, as well as an Association, since 1996. More than 700 acupuncturists practise in Quebec, and this type of medicine is increasingly widespread. Most insurance companies partially reimburse treatment fees.