Natural Medicine &
Acupuncture Center of Kauai

History of Acupuncture

Acupuncture originated in China some 4,000 years ago, and due to its proved effectiveness has been embraced throughout the world. Only in the last three decades has it become popular in the United States. In 1993 the Food and Drug Administration estimated that Americans made up to 12 million visits per year to acupuncture practitioners.

Traditional Chinese medicine holds that there are as many as 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body, which are connected by 20 pathways (12 main, 8 secondary) called Meridians. These Meridians conduct energy, or qi (pronounced "chi"), between the surface of the body and its internal organs. Each point has a different effect on the qi that passes through it.

Qi is believed to help regulate balance in the body. It is influenced by the opposing forces of yin and yang. This represents the positive and negative energy and forces in the universe which is parallel to the human body.

Acupuncture is believed to keep the balance between yin and yang, thus allowing for the normal flow of qi throughout the body. Thus follows restoration of health to the mind and body.

Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Medicine, said that "In every culture and in every medical tradition before ours, healing was accomplished by moving energy."

In modern China, acupuncture is practiced alongside Western medicine in most hospitals. It is an integral part of Traditional Oriental medicine which includes herbal, acupressure, nutrition, exercise and lifestyle counseling.

The word "acupuncture" comes from two Latin words, "acus" and "punctura". Acus means needle and punctura means pricking. It describes this ancient Chinese art of healing involving the Insertion of needles into specific points of the body. These points are called acupuncture points. Oriental and Western medicine complement each other and can be integrated to offer optimal health care.