Ackermann Institute

Acupuncture

In ancient times mankind came to realize that in certain diseases different points on the body became painful, and by massaging them the patient felt better. Now we know that these activated tender spots are acupuncture points. This is confirmed by the results of electrical measurement of skin resistance. According to Chinese medicine the acupuncture points follow twelve meridian pathways through which energy flows.

The meridians

Each body system has its own meridian. The course of the heart meridian is felt by the anagina pectoris patient when pain radiates from his chest down to the little finger. Sciatica pain follows the bladder meridian on the posterior aspect of the leg to the little toe. Some types of headache are felt in the gall meridian from the temple down to the neck.

Biological clock

Energy circulates through the meridians according to a biological clock. Around noon the heart meridian has its maximum of energy, after lunch the small intestine. At midnight the gall meridian peaks. At two o´clock in the night the liver meridian will wake you up after a too sumptuous dinner. At five in the morning asthma attacks occur, at 7 o´clock the large intestine is active.

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms indicating the need for acupuncture: pain, depression, sports injuries, menopause, motion sickness, migraine, infertility, asthma, allergies and anti-smoking treatment.

Electrical current

We are healthy as long as the intrinsic healing capacity of the body functions. A prerequisite for life and normal function of our body is a certain electrical potential of the body fluid and the cells. In case of disease and pain the electrical potential will decrease. It has been formulated that pain is the cry of the organism for flowing energy.

The nervous system

Our nervous system was initially wireless and developed to respond to stimuli from the outside world. Our body comprises 60% water and blood plasma is closely related to sea water. The body fluid contains some of the same conduction substances as the nerve fibres and can transmit information from and to the cells. Life is dynamic and modern science explains the matter as manifestations of energy.

Nerve physiology

Modern nerve physiology teaches us that reflexes from inner organs are projected on the skin at the corresponding segments where the spinal nerves emanate. Gastric ulcer for instance induces muscle tensions at the thoracic segments Th9-12. However modern nerve physiology has no way to explain why headache is best cured with acupuncture of the toes. As a fact the gall meridian starts at the  temples and ends at the toes.

Gate control

Nerves affected by acupuncture have receptors called mechano-receptors. They respond to movements of the body and they have an inhibitory effect on pain. The gate control theory explains that a competitive race takes place between fast mechanoreceptive nerves and slow pain signals. The rapid pain inhibitors arrive first to the spinal cord where they can prevent the pain from being transmitted to the brain. Sensory stimulation such as movement training and acupuncture are capable of stimulating the pain inhibitory system.

Pain-inhibitory system of the body

Moreover we have an endogenous pain-relieving system which releases endogenous opioids called endorphins. It has been showed that acupuncture treatment stimulates the release of endogenous opioids . Physical exercise, massage and manipulative treatment may have similar pain-inhibiting  effects.  Chinese acupuncture is an ancient medical science. Modern pain research can confirm the findings revealed by the ancient Chinese.

Education

The Ackermann College offers courses in acupuncture for interested therapists.  Our teacher is an MD, doctor Jian Li from China, orthopedic surgeon and pain researcher.