Most people have probably already heard of the term “acupuncture.” And most of them only know acupuncture as a medical treatment that involves needles being poked into their skin. Well, even if that’s basically what acupuncture is about, acupuncture is actually really more than just that.

Acupuncture and History

Acupuncture originated in China and has been practiced there—and in other Asian countries that acquired the practice as well—for thousands of years. And for that, acupuncture can be considered as one of the oldest forms of healing practices that the world has to offer. It is a part of traditional Chinese medicine and its aim is to restore and maintain one’s health. It does so through the stimulation of specific points found on the body.

The Chinese believed that the body is a fine balance of two opposing yet indivisible forces: yin and yang. While yin is characterized by being the cold or passive principle, yang on the other hand is characterized by being the hot and active principle. Disease would occur if there was an imbalance of the two forces that would lead to the hindering and blocking of the flow of “qi” along pathways called meridians. To cure the disease would mean bringing the body back to its balanced state and maintaining it through the clearing up of the blockages that causes the qi of the body to stagnate.

Acupuncture in General

Acupuncture technically does not refer to just one medicinal procedure but a whole family of them. These procedures involve the stimulation of the structural points found on the body using a variety of techniques. The best known technique involves the penetrating of the skin with metallic needles that are manipulated by a qualified practitioner or by electrical stimulation. The idea behind this is taken from the Chinese belief that the needles, when poked into certain points of the body, would allow our qi to continue flowing by eliminating the blockages that hinder it from doing so.

So basically, acupuncture is used to bring the body back into its normal, balanced state and help maintain it that way so that the body would be free from disease.

Acupuncture in the United States

Acupuncture is widely practiced in the United States. Thousands of physicians, dentists and acupuncturists around the country practice it for the relief or prevention of pain for their patients.

Due to this large number, one has to be careful when looking for qualified practitioners. In Illinois, you can find good acupuncturists in Bradley. You could also find many good places that offer acupuncture in Bourbonnais and you can even avail of discount acupuncture in Kankakee County!