www.needleplant.com

Hypothesis:

It does not matter whether or not “qi has arrived” when receiving acupuncture. The results when there isn’t “arrival of qi” are going to be as good as when there is “arrival of qi.”

Assumptions:

(a) Acupuncture is an effective treatment modality.

(b) Acupuncture works because it stimulates nerves, which when stimulated will help your body heal itself.

Background regarding the arrival of qi:

“Arrival of qi” is also called 得气 in acupuncture-speak. It’s a feeling of numbness, bloatedness, itchiness at the area that has been needled. It’s not the painful sensation that accompanies pricking through the dermis or epidermis. It’s not a sharp pain either. Many times, it is interpreted as a positive sensation that recedes an energetic cure.

Background on the nervous system:

Two nervous systems:

• the somatic nervous system spreads to the skin, muscles and bones. there is a sense component (that brings sensations on the skin, muscles or bones back to your brain) and also a motor component (that receives commands from the brain to move the msucles and bones, but not the skin!)
• the autonomic nervous system spreads to the internal organs, blood vessels and glands. there is once again a sense component and a motor component. Important in our discussion is the motor component. Under most circumstances, intention or will is not able to control the autonomic nervous system, it’s supposed to control itself e.g. the beating of the heart, the secretion of hormones, and regulation of a multitude of other physiological processes.

To a large extent, many of us are able to raise an arm or swing a leg whenever we want to - this is the somatic nervous system at work. However, when it comes to the digestion of food or the beating of the heart, we usually let the autonomic system take over.

If we accept this model of the human body, then it may be safe to say that at least some illnesses stem from a lack of control of the autonomic nervous system e.g. our digestive processes go awry, we have asthma and develop breathing problems. This lack of control results in a broad category of diseases that can be termed as imbalance. My take on acupuncture is that it helps regulate the autonomic nervous system, thus helping the body achieve its natural balance.

Now, back to the autonomic nervous system. we know that its motor component controls movement in the internal organs. and this motor component can further be divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic components. Although not always, the general idea is that the sympathetic component is arousing (for lack of a better word) in nature, while the parasympathetic nervous system is calming in nature.

On the feeling of “arrival of qi”

Underneath your skin within the connective tissue are nerve fibers that run the length of your body, limbs included. If we believe that it is nerve stimulation that gives a cure, then we can ask “What kind of nerve stimulation?” If the nerves under the skin are of all kinds, then it must include autonomic motor nerves, which can be manipulated to achieve balance; and also the somatic sense nerves, which feel pain, pressure as well as sensations related to the “arrival of qi.” All this said, it is reasonable to suggest that you don’t have to have stimulated a somatic sense nerve to have also stimulated an autonomic nerve. In such a case, the hypothesis makes sense.

Then again, if nerves are all close by each other, then you probably have stimulated an autonomic nerve if you get a bloated feeling. In such a case, the hypothesis will have to be overturned.

In the meantime, we can wait for the research to be done.