By: dancougar on 1/15/07
Hi Doc! I'm happy that you are not like some bigots who immediately dismiss acupuncture as hogwash just because they can't understand how it works.

However, as both a western MD and a practicing acupuncturist (Chinese style), I must say that the way you presented acupuncture theory is oversimplified. Pathophysiology and treatment in oriental medicine is much more complicated than mere "qi stagnation". A quick look at several TCM websites and books should help us "westerners" understand. I recommend Ted Kaptchuk's "The Web That Has No Weaver".

By: chaddupuis on 1/15/07
I agree with Dan above. I run one of the larger acupuncture information sites in the world - http://www.yinyanghouse.com/ and have an active clinic in chattanooga http://clinic.yinyanghouse.com .

As the broad range of theories present on my website would indicate I have a fascination and respect for the traditions of Chinese Medicine. Clinically, however, I want to do what works well, is medically understandable and has repeatable results.

There are certainly a number of theories within the practice of acupuncture which are hard for westerners to swallow. That said, many of them are just as hard for practicing acupuncturists to swallow. Those that work clinically make it easier to make the theoretical leaps, but those that are not clinically effective are easily laid aside by as many acupuncturists as doctors and researchers.

Historically and in current times there are many different ways of administering acupuncture treatments and some diagnosis and application methods use very little of the more controversial theories relying instead on a complete understanding of the workings of the body from a western and eastern medicine standpoint and using acupuncture points to stimulate the body along these lines.

As with most things the reality is that the "answer" is somewhere in the middle - that is, not western and not eastern. The concepts of qi stagnation, heart fire, damp-heat, etc. are all useful mechanisms for diagnosis and treatment. As practitioners we must remember that these terms arose to explain phenomena that we now understand in much clearer ways. Accordingly we must begin to adapt these theories to align more closely with commonly accepted western medical ideas. This not only makes our treatments more effective but makes it easier for us to explain to people what we think we are accomplishing when we insert a needle.

Acupuncture is both a continually evolving science and an art-form. As it is both, it is flexible and adaptable hence it's ability to effectively treat many conditions. This flexibility, however, comes with it the responsibility to remain flexible ourselves not adhering too closely to old philosophies and not getting too caught up in modernizing our medicine. It is all too easy to make acupuncture see more controversial and antiquated than the results indicate. What matters for most people, as your point out in your article, is not the terminology, not the history, not understanding it, but that it works.

Thank you again for the article and for raising awareness about our medicine.