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Acupuncture, rejuvenated weapon against illnesses

The Young Reporter (2002, November), 35(02), pp. 10.
Author: Alexis Chui Kwok-ching. Editor: Steve Chow Yim-cheung.
Permanent URL - https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/bujspa/purl.php?&did=bujspa0015134

By Alexis Chui Kwok-ching

01007505@hkbu.edu.hk

ACUPUNCTURE, a medical method originated from ancient China, has become one of the most popular treatments among local patients who dare to opt for an alternative.

Acupuncture has been a traditional practice of medical treatment for over 5000 years. It was first recorded in Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine), the oldest medical book in the world. According to the book, Shen Nung, the father of Chinese Medicine, invented acupuncture.

Shen Nung believed that there was an energy force running throughout human body. This energy force is called “Qi” . The “Qi” consists of all necessary life activities including the spiritual, emotional, mental and the physical aspects.

Apart from the current of “Qi”, the universal forces of Yin and Yang also affect the physical condition of the human body. Yin and yang are two opposing forces but they are complementary to each other. If the flow of Qi was insufficient or interrupted due to blockages, Yin and Yang become unbalanced resulting in illness. Qi moves through the whole body along “meridians” . Dr Zhang explained that meridians could be interpreted as the channels of our body that built up a network.

Meridians are also considered as channels that are paired on both sides of the body. It is estimated that there are fourteen main Meridians running up and down the surface of the body. Besides the fourteen main Meridians, there are twelve organ meridians in each half of the body as well as two unpaired midline meridians.

The needle punctures different places of a body to serve different functions. A human body has more than three hundred acupuncture points.

As time goes by, the procedure of modern acupuncturist treatment has progressed. Dr Zhang Sui-ping, assistant professor of the School of Chinese Medicine in Hong Kong Baptist University, said burning medicinal herbs were poured on the surface tissue of acupuncture points of human body in ancient times.

Now acupuncturists use very fine needles (0.18mm to 0.3mm in diameter) or even connect them to electricity to aid treatment as technology has advanced over the last few decades.

Needles penetrating to the first skin layer of the body can ease the blood circulation. This stimulus can influence physiological functioning of the body to cure disease, relieve pain or provide anaesthetic effect.

The treatment is especially welcomed by the elderly. Poon Yuk-fun, a middle-aged housewife, visited an acupunctural clinic in the hope for curing her tinnitus.

Tinnitus is a medical term for an ear disease of which a sufferer hears a series of short lighting sounds. She said that the practitioner inserted needles onto the tissues on her hands and ears in the treatment and the whole treatment took up to several visits to the clinic. Even though she was not satisfied with the result as it could not cure her tinnitus entirely, she still highly respected acupuncture as an invaluable ancient Chinese medical tradition.

Nowadays more youths like to try acupuncture. They consider it as a new option other than visiting the “usual” clinics.

Glenn Austin Green, a 26-year old American, was amazed by the acupuncture. He visited an acupuncturist’s clinic when he was 13. He had a hard time walking as he suffered from lower back pain. His pain was relieved after three visits to the clinic.

The migraine headache of Glenn has also gone for six months after the treatment. He highly recommended acupuncture as it did help from his experience.

“It [acupuncture] is more natural, as it is better than using prescription drugs,” he said.

Not only being recognized as a modern arts of healing, acupuncture is a profession in the view of the young generation. Hong Kong Baptist University has launched a Bachelor programme of Chinese Medicine for five years and acupuncture is one of the compulsory core subjects.

The Bachelor’s degree programme of Chinese Medicine was one popular choice among local Form Seven students. The increasing popularity and reputation has proved the growth of appreciation of acupuncture from the youngsters.

Derek Wong Che-ming, a fifth-year Chinese Medicine student of Baptist University, said he was inspired to learn more about acupuncture as it was now widely recognised by the west.

“Acupuncture is interesting and challenging, as a good acupuncturist has to memorise a lot of complex ideas and apply the theories to practice,” he added. Besides, its precious medical value is widely recognised, it did provide a new option to the public in any perspective.

Edited by Steve Chow Yim-che

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