1.

Obtain the license needed in order to

perform acupuncture and then undergo
training to become a certified
acupuncturist.
2. Familiarize yourself with the tools that are
used such as disposable stainless steel
needles approximately 2 inches long and
a map of the anatomical meridians.
3. Understand how the process works on the
human body. Determine the treatment
area that needs acupuncture by speaking
with the patient and asking them about
their symptoms in order to get a clear
understanding of the problem.
. The results of acupuncture are gained
through 3 known pathways. The methods
of application consist of deciding on the
correct points to insert the needles which
are approximately 1 inch into the body
and the method which is most effective
for treatment of the patient.
5. Consider the different results of the
position of the needles. Needle insertion
stimulates nerve fibers that send an
impulse to the spinal cord causing the
release of endorphins and enkephalins
from the brain which block the signal for
pain.
˜. Learn the meridians of the human body.
Choose which treatment produces the
best results since the 3 effects become
stronger as the needles are placed closer
to the pain center.
7. The needles are left in place from 20 to 50
minutes and are sometimes twisted to
stimulate the nerve fibers more effectively.
 The number of acupuncture
points was established to be the
same as the number of days in the
year that is, 3˜5 during ancient
times. These points were mapped
to 1 major meridian lines, one
meridian for each of the 12 inner
organs, one meridian along the
spine (called the governing
vessel), and another along the
midline of the abdomen (called the
conception vessel).
 ë
 

   
ë
 Located on the back side of the hand
between the thumb and first finger. It is
used to relieve pain and to treat
constipation or other bowel disorders.
It is also used in the treatment of
inflammatory and feverish diseases
which have symptoms in the throat
and head, because the large intestine
meridian runs from the hand to the
face.
 ë

   ë
ë 
 Located above the wrist on the inside
of the arm. It is used to treat several
disorders of the upper body, including
headache, neck stiffness, cough,
asthma, sore throat, facial paralysis,
and wrist problems.
 v 

    
v ! "
 Located on the front of the leg, just
below the knee. It is used for digestive
disorders, including nausea, vomiting,
gastralgia, and abdominal distention,
and also for general weakness.
Positive effects in treating anemia,
immune deficiency, fatigue, and
numerous diseases.
 v "

   v

v # $ 
 Located on the inner side of the leg
just above the ankle. For treating
hormonal disorders (irregular
menstruation, impotence) and immune
disorders.

 % ""&" 


   
%'(
 Located at the base of the skull where
it joins the neck in back. It used in the
treatment of acute disorders, such as
common cold, influenza, headache,
neck pain, and fever. It also lowers
blood pressure and relaxes tension in
the area of the eyes.
 ë )


   ë*

 Located on the top of the foot,
between the first and second toes. It is
used to balance emotional energy, to
regulate menstruation, to reduce
tension and pain in the chest, treat eye
disorders, alleviate headaches, and
reduce high blood pressure.



 

   +

,  
 Located on the inner arm, just above
the wrist. It is used for cardiac
disorders, such as heart palpitation
and angina pectoris. It is also useful
for nausea, vomiting, spasms, and
convulsions.
 


   + 
v
 Located on the outer side of the wrist.
It is used in the treatment of a variety
of mental disorders, such as absent
mindedness, insomnia, disturbing
dreams, hysteria, depression,
agitation, and mental illness. It is also
used in the treatment of heart disease
and fatigue.
 

#'" 


   
'ë- .
 Located at the back of the knee. It is
used in the treatment of back pain, hip
impairment, muscular atrophy, leg pain
and immobility, abdominal pain,
vomiting, diarrhea, and a host of other
 ß #

   ß
/
 Located just behind the inner ankle. It
is used for disorders in several areas
of the body, including sore throat and
toothache, deafness and tinnitus,
dizziness, asthma, thirst, insomnia,
impotence, frequency urination, pain in
the lower back, and menstrual
irregularities.

"'



    
' -  
 Considered to be a special type of
organ system that spans the entire
torso. Located on the outer side of the
arm, above the wrist. It is used in
treatment of disorders along the
pathway of this meridian, that is, of the
fingers, hand, arms, neck, ears, cheek,
and top of the head.
 v "" 

   
+v/
 Located on the side of the hand, below
the little finger. It is used for treating
mental disorders, stiffness and pain in
the neck, chest, and lumbar region,
seizures, night sweats, and fevers.
 %)
 *"  0
%*' 
 Located at the top of the head. It is
used in the treatment of various mental
disorders, and for problems that occur
in the head: headache, vertigo, ringing
in the ears, nasal obstruction, difficulty
with speech, etc. It is also used to treat
prolapse, such as that of the rectum
and uterus.
   *"  
*% # 
 Located a little below the navel. It is
used for all types of lower abdominal
disorders, including urination
problems, hernia, menstrual disorders,
gynecological infections, postpartum
bleeding, diarrhea, rectal prolapse,
etc.
 ë
 "* 1

]cupuncture's The traditional Chinese

explanation of the effectiveness of acupuncture is
based on the Taoist philosophy according to which
good health depends on a free circulation of chi or
life-force energy throughout all the organs of the
body. Practitioners of acupuncture meditate while
doing the acupuncture. They believe that man and
the world's energy merged with each other. The flow
of nature was within the human body and governed
by a life force or energy called Qi (³Chee´). Within
the body, as in nature, there were lines that energy
ran down. These lines are called 
 , and
there are fourteen meridians within the human body.
From these fourteen meridians, there are thousands
of points that allow the blocked energy from bodily
injury, stress, or a poorly cared-for self, to be
 -
* 12v   3/ "   4

]n excerpt on a publication of the World

Health Organization (WHO) about acupuncture point
towards to that its therapeutic actions are achieved
by mobilization of the organism¶s own potential.
Meaning that the human body already has its own
set of substances such as hormones and the like
that would help to cure the disease in the organism¶s
body, and that acupuncture only aides this
substances to do its natural action. In line with this,
acupuncture has a variety of therapeutic effects on
the body thus it has a varying degree of action
depending on the type of disease.
It is proposed that acupuncture mainly exert
its effects on the nervous system, whether it alters
the interpretation of pain or helps in releasing
neurotransmitter, neurohormones, and other
chemical substances in the nervous system.
 3


_ate Control Theory:

In this theory by Doctors Melzack and Wall, it is
proposed that the conduction of pain signals can be compared
to slow cars travelling in a highway. Pain signals enter to high-
traffic gates as they travel from one area then upward through
the spinal cord then into the brain. Other signals can be
generated that would travel faster than the pain signal. Now
just like in a setting of travelling in a highway, it is obvious that
faster cars will overtake these slower cars, and since all these
cars will pass through ³gates´ , faster cars will get into it first
than the slow cars and thus these slow cars will be left behind
and will not be able to enter the ³gate´. Now apply that these
slow cars are the pain signals generated from the injured sites,
if one will generate enough faster signals, such that of what the
]cupuncture can offer, pain signals would not be able to enter
the brain and thus we will not experience pain.
 3
5  

]lthough Electrical Theory of pain explains more about

the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on inhibition of pain it also
explains the effects of it to other diseases. This theory suggests
that acupuncture works by influencing the body's
electromagnetic fields. The body generates continues minute
electrical discharges. This electrical field influences the growth,
maturation and functioning of some types of cells. Thus
acupuncture also has effects on other diseases, such as
influencing the immune system and ]utonomic Nervous
System.
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# _astroenterology Ophthalmology

7v    Esophagic Spasm (including ]cute Conjunctivitis

7     cardiac spasm) Cataracts (without
" Hiccups complications)
77  "   _astroptosis Short sightedness
'
 9 "
# ]cute and chronic colitis and Retinitis
   gastritis _astric Hyperacidity
'
 "7 Chronic duodenal ulcer
7'
   ]cute bacterial dysentery
Constipation, diarrhea
Paralytic Ileum
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 _ingivitis Periarthritishumeroe

  " Pharyngitis scapularis
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" Dental pain Tennis player' elbow
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"#  Pain after surgery or Sciatica
v
8"  dental extraction Lumbalgy, dorsalgy



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When patients are hungry, have overeaten, are
drunk or temporary exhausted, acupuncture
procedures should only be commenced after they
have rested properly. For very weak patients, the
manipulation of needles should not be too strong.
There should be a limited number of ³acupoints´ and
it is preferable for the procedure be undertaken in a
supine posture. It is contraindicated to puncture
points on the abdominal and lower back regions for
pregnant women. During menstruation, acupuncture
treatment is not recommended unless it is for
regulating the menses.
Points on the vertex of infants should not be needled
when the fontanel is not closed. In addition, retention
of needles is not recommended since infants are
unable to cooperate with the practitioner. ]void
puncturing the blood vessels so as to prevent
bleeding; patients with clotting problems are not
candidates for acupuncture treatment. Do not
puncture where there are skin infections, ulcers and
sores. In order to avoid accidents, practitioners
should pay attention to the angle, direction and
depth of needling, especially for points near the
eyes, on the neck, chest and back.
a) The practitioner that is advertising their
service should be well trained and have official
qualifications that are recognised by boards of
natural medicine. These qualifications and the
doctor's identification should be easily proved. The
practitioner should also have full insurance cover in
case something does go wrong.
b) The clinic where acupuncture will be
administered should be clean, sterile. The
premises should be well maintained and in good
working order.

c) It is important that the treatment table that you

will be lying down on is very clean, hygienic and
sterile. ]ll sheets, pillows and covers should be
fresh, clean and disposable (if the practitioner can
afford this).
d) The practitioner must use disposable (single use)
needles for each and every patient. You should
see the doctor open up a fresh packet of
acupuncture needles every time in front of you
for safety reasons.

e) Describe your condition, the medication you

take and other problems in detail to your
acupuncurist, so that they can create a proper
diagnosis and administer the right treatment.
F) Follow all safety instructions that the
practitioner emphasises. Whether it is the position
that you should be lying in, to whether to hold your
breathing or relax should all be followed for optimum
results and safety.
g) Notify the practitioner of any discomforts, pain
felt or any other problems that need to be dealt with.

h) ]t the end of the treatment make sure to

discuss the treatment performed, any side effects
and the plan of action for your next appointment.
The practitioner should be friendly and open to any
questions. Do not forget to ask for a receipt from the
doctor at the end of any treatment.
+
In the Philippines, ]cupuncture was introduced during
the 19˜0¶s as an alternative medicine coming from China.

+9+0
]nd it became popular in the 70¶s. By early 80¶s,
acupuncture was accepted by the western medical doctors
mainly for pain relief.

While most of people still regard acupuncture as an

alternative medicine. There are increasing numbers of modern
medical practitioners that accept this form of therapeutic
regimen as effective as other proven drugs. ]nd because of
that, during 90¶s the fusion of western and oriental medicine
practices in the Philippines begun.

in the leadership of ;)  ë
<
5, the
Department of Health, Philippine Institute of Traditional and
]lternative Health Care (DOH-PIT]HC), Integrated Medicine
for ]lternative Health Care - Philippines, had a conference
about Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the
Traditional and ]lternative Medicine ]ct of 1997 regarding
standardization of training and accreditation of medical and
non-medical acupuncturists.
 " 
 "  5)" :
Recommends the practice of acupuncture as
a form of an effective alternative medicine. In line
WHO publication on the effect of acupuncture on the
immune system of the body, CHD promotes
acupuncture to help the immune system to prevent
dengue infection. 7 
 " are also
found here in the Philippines to attest the growing
popularity of the practice.


"#
With the increasing popularity of acupuncture
here in the Philippines, Senator Miriam Defensor-
Santiago proposed a bill last 13th congress but it
was not approved. Today the same bill in the present
15th Conress of the Philippines was proposed again
by the said senator.