16th May 2005, 11:52 PM
Also, if I can add... the scientific theory behind accupuncture is the use of stimulation of the nervous system. While eastern medicine has figured this out (although the terminology is quite different), the nervous system is increasingly found to have control over almost every aspect of the body including your blood pressure, your immune system, etc. While words like yin and yang might translate to anabolism and catabolism in western science, the concept of qi and qi channels may be associated with nervous pathways. While the stimulation of accupoints don't hit nerves, they may affect tissue in such a way that they subsequently cause nerves in the surrounding area to send of certain messages which subsequently affect the body in ways described in Chinese medicine. This relationship between nervous system and qi channels has not been elucidated, but it remains the theory. So for example, stimulating such and such accupoints can affect the nervous system to upregulate the immune system in such a way to help you fight off an infectious disease, or perhaps prevent you from catching diseases during a period of stress, or help fight cancer.
The bottom line is the affect exists, whether or not we know how it works. Like much of medicine, many treatments western medicine has are also known to work, but it is scientifically unknown as to why they work.
The bottom line is the affect exists, whether or not we know how it works. Like much of medicine, many treatments western medicine has are also known to work, but it is scientifically unknown as to why they work.