The History of Acupuncture - The Enerqi Acupuncture & Reiki Clinic, Swindon Wiltshire

Acupuncture is a system of healing that has been practised in China and the Far East for thousands of years. During this time the practice of acupuncture has been developed and refined, and is now recognised worldwide as a safe and effective form of medicine.

The traditional Chinese system of acupuncture is based on the principle that the body is a self-healing organism that consists of a network of pathways, that regulate growth and healing, and circulate Qi.

What is Qi ?

Qi is the body's vital energy which is circulated through the pathways around the body, just as blood circulates in arteries and veins. For optimum health and vitality, the body's Qi must remain in a state of balance at all times.

If the flow of Qi is disrupted, due to physical trauma, poor nutrition or emotional strain, for example, illness may result. Just as the body naturally heals cuts and bruises, acupuncture stimulates the body's own self-healing process to encourage health restoration. The gentle insertion of ultra-fine needles in specific acupuncture points on the surface of the skin allows the flow of Qi to rebalance, allowing symptoms to disappear and good health to be restored.

Who can benefit from acupuncture?

The system of Acupuncture involves treating a person physically, mentally and emotionally and not just their individual symptoms. So the diagnosis of a person's condition can be quite complex, as the aim of Acupuncture is to diagnose and treat the root cause of the condition so that symptoms do not recur. Therefore anyone can potentially benefit from acupuncture, not only to alleviate symptoms but as a means of preventing ill-health in the first place and maintaining good health. Unlike some other forms of medicine, such as drug therapy which may have unpleasant side-effects, acupuncture works in harmony with the body and so is one of the safest forms of medical treatment available.