Acupuncture, a form of traditional Chinese medicine, is based on a theory of body functioning that involves the flow of energy — known as qi (pronounced chee) — through 14 pathways (called “meridians”) in the body. According to the theories of Chinese medicine, disease results from an imbalance or disruption in the flow of energy and in the optimal balance between the opposite forces of “yin” and “yang.”Acupuncture involves stimulating specific locations on the skin, usually by inserting thin, disposable metallic needles into points along the body’s meridians to alter the flow of energy. Other methods of stimulating the skin may also be used, including finger pressure (also known as acupressure or shiatsu in Japan), cupping with small, heated cups, electroacupuncture with electrically stimulated needles, and moxibustion — a form of therapy involving heat— with smoldering fibers of an herb called Asian mugwort.Of approximately 400 acupuncture points on the body, 4 to 12 are stimulated in a single treatment session. It generally takes 6 to 10 sessions to determine if the treatment is going to be beneficial.
