The practice of acupuncture is one of the most ancient healing techniques still in use today. It is part of a larger system of healing known as Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM. TCM is based on the theory that a healthy person is in balance, both with himself and nature. Illness is caused by being out of balance or harmony, with either oneself or nature. Chinese medicine views the body as a reflection of the universe. This is consistent with the philosophical basis of this form of healing, the Taoist philosophy. As in Greece, the ancient Chinese healers were also philosophers and based their observations and treatments on the Taoist tradition, which believes in the oneness of all things.
According to Chinese tradition, in order to maintain health, one must strike a balance between the yin and the yang. These are two opposing, yet complementary energies, that are imbued in everything in the universe. Health, in Chinese medicine, is not a state that one arrives in and stays, but rather a constant fluctuation and adjustment process. When our bodies cannot adjust to some influences, either external or internal, then we fall ill. The Chinese medicine tradition views the body as a whole, composed of yin and yang aspects. Organs and systems are either yin or yang, and each yin organ or system has its' complementary yang organ or system. In the Chinese tradition, there is a system of energy that links all the organs and other aspects of the body. This energy is called "qi" or "chi". This energy system is the vital life force for the body. It is invisible. It circulates throughout the body through pathways known as meridians. These are alsoinvisible. These meridians are located throughout the body and connect the entire body, from its surface to deep within the body. For this reason, acupuncture that is performed on the surface of the body can have a profound effect on systems and problems deep within the body.
The existence of this energy system has been scientifically proven. Energy points on the skin have been identified with Kirlian photography, and when a radioactive isotope is injected at an energy point, it will travel on the path or meridian described in TCM. There has been a significant amount of research done into TCM, qi and related disciplines such as Qigong.
The purpose of acupuncture is to restore a balanced flow of qi within the body. There are certain points on the body where the qi may become blocked or excessive. An acupuncturist will insert a very fine needle into a specific point to free the blocked qi or to restore its correct flow. The practitioner may twirl the needle or use a weak electric current sent through the needle to stimulate the point. There is no blood even though the needle does penetrate the skin. The needles are very fine and are inserted in such a way that they slip past blood vessels and nerves. Traditional needles were bamboo, but those most widely in use today are surgical steel. The same acupuncture points can be accessed through pressure or heat, although this last practice is not used widely in the United States. Acupressure, the concept of applying pressure to the acupuncture points, has much in common with shiatsu massage, a technique from Japan, with its' roots in Chinese medicine. (see Shiatsu and acupressure in this paper). Moxibustion, or the application of heat to an acupuncture point, involves placing smoldering herbs over or on the site of the acupuncture point.
The most common use for acupuncture in the Western world is that of pain relief. It has also been used for treating drug addiction, weight loss or gain, nausea from morning sickness or chemotherapy, and smoking. There are few, if any, scientific explanations for how it works, nevertheless, it is known to relieve symptoms of pain for chronic conditions, after and during surgery, childbirth and other conditions. There actually has been a considerable amount of research done, but most of the studies show serious flaws.45
In order to diagnose a particular problem, a traditional acupuncturist would use four techniques. The first is inspection. This means observing the patient. This includes inspections of the tongue and its' coatings, the eyes, the complexion and the excretions of the patient. It also includes listening to the patients voice. The second aspect of diagnosis is listening. This includes listening to the breath, speech and being aware of the odors of the body. The third step is to take a detailed history of the patient. This would not be a medical history in the Western allopathic tradition, but there would be particular questions which the practitioner would ask that would relate specifically to the condition from which the patient was reportedly suffering. The previous observations would help the practitioner direct the questioning. The last step in diagnosis is palpation. This includes a pulse examination. In Chinese medicine there are 29 different types of pulse, each having its' peculiar traits and conditions. It would also include palpation of the body in general and of the acupuncture/acupressure points in particular. Those points at which qi is blocked or out of balance, are frequently tender to the touch. Along with acupuncture, the therapist may prescribe herbs and dietary changes to support the patient.
The article "One Approach to Acumoxa Therapy for Pain Due to Tendinitis of the Hand. Wrist and Forearm" is a technical article that appeared in the American Journal of Acupuncture. Nevertheless, it can give the lay reader an idea of the treatment modality that could be used to treat problems of the wrist and hand with acupuncture. The author mentions that in her practice, this type of pain in the hand and forearm is one of the most common that she treats. She first reviews the Western medical definition of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. She then explains the problem from the perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine. (The explanation is technical and will not be understood by most readers.) She then explains the diagnostic technique used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This could be helpful to the lay reader as it would educate them on what to expect from the practitioner of TCM. The author then goes on to explain the treatment program forthe problem. Again, the explanation is rather technical, but it could give the lay reader an idea of the time frame for treatments, and what to expect. The author also has a section on Self-Care. It is short and comprised of those suggestions that the author uses to support her therapy. The last section of the article is a series of case histories. The author gives one example where treatment was totally successful, one in which it was moderately successful and one that the author found to be a failure. She explains the reasons for the differing rates of success. There is also a table with the success rates, showing that the author has either cured or had great improvement in approximately 68% of her patients. She displays an 18% rate of some improvement. 12.5% of her patients showed no improvement.46 She also briefly refers to surgery in the last section of the paper. She states that while she does not see those patients for whom surgery was a success, those who had surgery and come to her office for treatment, seem to be no better off after the surgery. One of her goals is to help patients possibly avoid surgery. The author also discusses, within the context of the article, some methods that are not covered in this paper. Moxibustion is explained briefly in this paper in the section on acupuncture. The author of the article also details the use of particular herbal preparations.
Acupuncture is mentioned in the following books or materials, reviewed in the Self Care chapter of this paper, as a possible treatment for musicians or others with hand or upper body pain: The Musician as Athlete by Dorothy Bishop (page 81); How to End Your Carpal Tunnel Pain Without Surgery by Kate Montgomery (page 72); Play It Safe by Christine Zaza (page 86): and the website Musical Online: musicians and injuries by Paul Marxhausen (page 92).
