Traditional Chinese medicine is a holistic health modality that supports natural body and mind healing processes. Chinese medicine practitioners draw on a range of skills which include acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, gua sha, tui na massage, Chinese dietetics, and exercise therapy.

The practice of acupuncture involves the insertions of very fine needles into specific points which promote the body to heal itself. It originated in East Asia over 2000 years ago and has been used in a variety of styles worldwide ever since.

Traditionally the aim of acupuncture is to improve the flow of Qi (energy) and balance Yin and Yang to bring homeostasis to the body. This is determined by careful questioning, palpation, and inspection of the tongue and pulse to understand specific patterns of harmony and disease in each individual. Points are then selected accordingly. These can be stimulated through either massage techniques, insertion of acupuncture needles, or have heat applied in the form of moxibustion.

Compared to non-acupoints, acupoints create signals when stimulated due to local composition of blood vessels, mast cells an nerve fibres which mediate a response [1]. By stimulating these points a qualified practitioner is able to restore healthy function to the body to resolve certain symptoms.

There has been a significant contribution to modern research to determine the physiological and biochemical effects of acupuncture.

Acupuncture has been shown to stimulate connective tissue and nerves which has an effect on the nervous system and key areas of the brain. This promotes natural production of modulators and transmitters such as endogenous opioids, noradrenalin, dopamine, glutamate, 5-hydroxytryptamine, acetylcholine and aminobutyric acid [1] which have shown to be effective in reducing pain and inflammation, and creating a sense of relaxation [2,3].