Acupuncture (Zhen Chiu therapy, reflexology) appeared in ancient China many hundreds of years ago. One of the earliest alleged mentions of a medical technique dates back to the 3rd century BCE. Perhaps it is about it that is discussed in the famous medical treatise “Huangdi Neijing”. But Zhen Chiu therapy was most widespread at the beginning of the 2nd millennium. In modern clinics in China, acupuncture techniques are still used, now on a par with the methods of official European medicine.
The essence of the reflexology is to influence biologically active points. The healing practice is based on the ancient oriental worldview. According to him, everything that exists is filled with life force – Qi. This energy continuously moves in the human body along with special channels – meridians. Any imbalance or Qi stagnation leads to the development of diseases. Accordingly, eliminating the root cause of the problem, ensuring a free flow of life force through energy channels is the most important task of Chinese medicine.
Meridians are projected onto the body surface in the form of biologically active points (BAP). The total number is beyond counting, but acupuncture doctors only use the most important ones.
These points have different functions:
- some of them are calming,
- others are exciting,
- and others are signaling (diagnostic).
By influencing the necessary BAPs with various techniques, acupuncturists harmonize the movement of Qi along the meridians and relieve patients from painful manifestations.
The effectiveness of acupuncture treatment of certain diseases has been confirmed by the WHO. At the moment, representatives of official science refer reflexology to methods of alternative medicine and agree that it helps, if not for everyone, then for very many diseases and pathological conditions.
These include:
- various pains (including headaches, lumbar pains);
- paralysis of the facial nerve;
- diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- hypertonic disease;
- neuroses, depression;
- gastritis and gastric ulcer;
- some diseases of the reproductive system.
Scientists put forward several theories, to one degree or another, explaining the therapeutic effect of the Chinese technique:
- According to one of them, the impact on biologically active points with needles or other devices leads to increased blood flow and excitation of nerve endings in this zone. The result is the production of endorphins and enkephalins, substances that act like morphine and can relieve pain.
- Another theory explains the beneficial effects of acupuncture by a counter-stimulation mechanism. It lies in the fact that acupuncture stimulates “fast” nerve fibers located in the skin and muscles. Pain impulses transmitted through them reach the brain earlier than signals from the affected organs. This triggers the regeneration mechanism.
- The discovery of modern research methods – such as functional MRI, transcranial ultrasound Doppler ultrasound – made it possible to draw new conclusions about the therapeutic effects of reflexology. In particular, it was possible to find out that when acupuncture points are affected, the activity of subcortical structures of the brain changes. And since the departments of the central nervous system are clearly associated with certain organs, their stimulation leads to positive changes in these organs.