Pineal gland
Endocrine system
Diagram of pituitary and pineal glands.
Latin	glandula pinealis
Gray’s	subject #276 1277
Artery	superior cerebellar artery
MeSH	Pineal+gland

The pineal gland (also called the pineal body, epiphysis cerebri, epiphysis or the “third eye”) is a small endocrine gland in the vertebrate brain. It produces melatonin, a hormone that affects the modulation of wake/sleep patterns and photoperiodic (seasonal) functions.^[1][2] It is shaped like a tiny pine cone (hence its name), and is located near to the center of the brain, between the two hemispheres, tucked in a groove where the two rounded thalamic bodies join. Unlike much of the rest of the brain, the pineal gland is not isolated from the body by the blood-brain barrier system.^[3]

Location

^{The pineal gland is reddish-gray and about the size of a pea (8 mm in humans), located just rostro-dorsal to the superior colliculus and behind and beneath the stria medullaris, between the laterally positioned thalamic bodies. It is part of the epithalamus.}

^{The pineal gland is a midline structure, and is often seen in plain skull X-rays, as it is often calcified. Calcification is typically due to intake of the fluoride found in water and toothpaste.}

Structure and composition

The pineal body consists in humans of a lobular parenchyma of pinealocytes surrounded by connective tissue spaces. The gland’s surface is covered by a pial capsule.

The pineal gland consists mainly of pinealocytes, but four other cell types have been identified.

Structure and composition

The pineal body consists in humans of a lobular parenchyma of pinealocytes surrounded by connective tissue spaces. The gland’s surface is covered by a pial capsule.

The pineal gland consists mainly of pinealocytes, but four other cell types have been identified.

Cell type	Description
pinealocytes	The pinealocytes consist of a cell body with 4-6 processes emerging. They produce and secrete melatonin. The pinealocytes can be stained by special silver impregnation methods.
interstitial cells	Interstitial cells are located between the pinealocytes.
perivascular phagocyte	Many capillaries are present in the gland, and perivascular phagocytes are located close to these blood vessels. The perivascular phagocytes are antigen presenting cells.
pineal neurons	In higher vertebrates neurons are located in the pineal gland. However, these are not present in rodents.
peptidergic neuron-like cells	In some species, neuronal-like peptidergic cells are present. These cells might have a paracrine regulatory function.

 

 

Cell type	Description
pinealocytes	The pinealocytes consist of a cell body with 4-6 processes emerging. They produce and secrete melatonin. The pinealocytes can be stained by special silver impregnation methods.
interstitial cells	Interstitial cells are located between the pinealocytes.
perivascular phagocyte	Many capillaries are present in the gland, and perivascular phagocytes are located close to these blood vessels. The perivascular phagocytes are antigen presenting cells.
pineal neurons	In higher vertebrates neurons are located in the pineal gland. However, these are not present in rodents.
peptidergic neuron-like cells	In some species, neuronal-like peptidergic cells are present. These cells might have a paracrine regulatory function.

 

The pineal gland receives a sympathetic innervation from the superior cervical ganglion. However, a parasympathetic innervation from the sphenopalatine and otic ganglia is also present. Further, some nerve fibers penetrate into the pineal gland via the pineal stalk (central innervation). Finally, neurons in the trigeminal ganglion innervates the gland with nerve fibers containing the neuropeptide, PACAP. Human follicles contain a variable quantity of gritty material, called corpora arenacea (or “acervuli”, or “brain sand”). Chemical analysis shows that they are composed of calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, magnesium phosphate, and ammonium phosphate.^[4] Recently, calcite deposits have been described as well.^[5] Calcium and phosphorus deposits in the pineal gland have been linked with aging.^[6]

Miscellaneous anatomy

Pinealocytes in many non-mammalian vertebrates have a strong resemblance to the photoreceptor cells of the eye. Some evolutionary biologists believe that the vertebrate pineal cells share a common evolutionary ancestor with retinal cells.^[7]

In some vertebrates, exposure of the pineal to light can directly set off a chain reaction of enzymatic events which regulate circadian rhythms.^[8] Some early vertebrate fossil skulls have a pineal foramen (opening). This corroborates with the physiology of the modern “living fossils“, the lamprey and the tuatara, and some other vertebrates which have a parietal organ or “third eye” which, in some of them, is photosensitive. The third eye represents evolution’s earlier approach to photoreception.^[9] The structures of the third eye in the tuatara are homologous to the cornea, lens and retina, though the latter resembles that of an octopus rather than a vertebrate retina. The asymmetrical whole consists of the “eye” to the left and the pineal sac to the right. “In animals that have lost the parietal eye, including mammals, the pineal sac is retained and condensed into the form of the pineal gland.”^[9]

Fossils seldom preserve soft anatomy. The brain of the Russian Melovatka bird, about 90 million years old, is an exception, and it shows a larger-than-expected parietal eye and pineal gland.^[10]

In humans and other mammals, the light signals necessary to set circadian rhythms are sent from the eye through the retinohypothalamic system to the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) and the pineal.

Function

The pineal gland was originally believed to be a “vestigial remnant” of a larger organ (much as the appendix was thought to be a vestigial digestive organ). Aaron Lerner and colleagues at Yale University discovered that melatonin, the most potent compound then known to lighten frog skin, was present in the highest concentrations in the pineal.^[11] Melatonin is a derivative of the amino acid tryptophan, which also has other functions in the central nervous system. The production of melatonin by the pineal gland is stimulated by darkness and inhibited by light.^[12] Photosensitive cells in the retina detect light and directly signal the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), entraining it to the 24 hour clock. Fibers project from the SCN to the paraventricular nuclei (PVN), which relay the circadian signals to the spinal cord and out via the sympathetic system to superior cervical ganglia (SCG), and from there into the pineal gland. The function(s) of melatonin in humans is not clear; it is commonly prescribed for the treatment of circadian rhythm sleep disorders.

The compound pinoline is also produced in the pineal gland; it is one of the beta-carbolines.

The human pineal gland grows in size until about 1-2 years of age, remaining stable thereafter^{[13] [14]}, although its weight increases gradually from puberty onwards ^[15][16]. It appears to play a major role in sexual development, hibernation in animals, metabolism, and seasonal breeding. The abundant melatonin levels in children is believed to inhibit sexual development, and pineal tumors have been linked with precocious puberty. When puberty arrives, melatonin production is reduced. Calcification of the pineal gland is typical in adults.

Pineal cytostructure seems to have evolutionary similarities to the retinal cells of chordates.^[17] Modern birds and reptiles have been found to express the phototransducing pigment melanopsin in the pineal gland. Avian pineal glands are believed to act like the suprachiasmatic nucleus in mammals.^[18]

Studies suggest that in rodents the pineal gland may influence the actions of recreational drugs, such as cocaine,^[19] and antidepressants, such as fluoxetine (Prozac),^[20] and its hormone melatonin can protect against neurodegeneration.^[21]

Cultures, philosophies and mythologies

The secretory activity of the pineal gland has only relatively recently become understood. Historically, its location deep in the brain suggested to philosophers that it possessed particular importance. This combination led to its being a “mystery” gland with myth, superstition and metaphysical theories surrounding its perceived function.

René Descartes, who dedicated much time to the study of the pineal gland,^[22] called it the “seat of the soul“.^[23] He believed that it was the point of connection between the intellect and the body.^[24]

The notion of a ‘pineal-eye’ is central to the philosophy of the seminal French writer Georges Bataille, which is analyzed at length by literary scholar Denis Hollier in his study Against Architecture.^[25] In this work Hollier discusses how Bataille uses the concept of a ‘pineal-eye’ as a reference to a blind-spot in Western rationality.

 

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Although acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat a wide variety of painful conditions, only recently has it become scientifically recognized as an effective pain therapy. In fact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), acupuncture is as effective as morphine in treating chronic pain. Acupuncture treatment and related modalities have been shown clinically to trigger the central nervous system to release pain-relieving chemicals, such as endorphins (derived from the terms endogenous and morphine). Some types of natural endorphins are over 500 times stronger than morphine!

What the Drug Companies Don’t Want You to Know
The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2002 released a report entitled Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials. This report states that acupuncture “can be regarded as the method of choice for treating many chronically painful conditions.” The World Health Organization (WHO) reached this conclusion due to the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating pain and “because of the side-effects of long-term drug therapy for pain and the risks of dependence.”

The list of side effects from pain relief drugs is disconcerting. Pain medications can cause liver damage, gastrointestinal complications, or kidney reactions. In addition, some pain relief drugs have been taken off the market because of an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Acupuncture has none of these adverse effects. It is a natural, drug-free, effective pain relief option supported by data from controlled clinic trials.

Acupuncture can be effective in the treatment of pain associated with the following conditions:

Acute Sprains	Ankle Pain
Arthritis	Back Pain
Bursitis	Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Dysmenorrhea (Period Pain)	Facet Joint Pain Syndrome
Fibromyalgia	Frozen Shoulder
Golfer’s Elbow	Headaches
Hip Pain	Knee Pain
Leg Pain	Low Back Pain
Menstrual Cramps/Pain	Migraines
Neck Pain	Osteoarthritis
Piriformis Syndrome	Plantar Fasciitis
Post Herpetic Neuralgia	Postoperative Pain
Prolapsed Disc	Restless Leg Syndrome
Rheumatoid Arthritis	Rotator Cuff Injury
Sciatica	Shingles
Shoulder Pain	Sinus Pressure/Pain
Spinal Stenosis	Sports Injury
Tendonitis	Tennis Elbow
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome	TMJ Dysfunction
Whiplash

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Acute and chronic pain syndromes, as some of society’s most costly health problems, have an enormous impact on individual, national, and global levels. In the United States, chronic pain is the third most common health-care problem, behind heart disease and cancer, with the combined annual costs of lost work days, doctor visits, hospital stays, pain-reducing drugs, and disability totaling an estimated $100 billion.

Long lasting pain often creates a chronic pain cycle: Pain, lack of exercise, limited physical activity, chronic fatigue, stress, depression, muscle tension, tightness, cramping, sensitive nerves, and again, pain. Patients suffer from this pain cycle. Some patients even feel that their quality of life changes completely due to a chronic pain condition.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), nothing in the human body can function independently. Pain is the body’s warning alarm. It tells you something is wrong. If you ignore your body’s alarm, similarly to the fire alarm in your house, severe problems can form soon.

Human body functions are dependent on the life force energy-Qi. Qi and blood flow through the meridian system, nourishing and protecting body tissues and helping them maintain their functions. If, however, the body is beset with disease or injury, normal pathological symptoms will appear and affect the organs and meridian. Once the meridian is blocked, the Qi and blood are not able to move along smoothly. As a result, the affected area will not be able to get enough nutrition. In response, the patient feels pain, tingling, stiffness, bloating, or numbness. Hence the old TCM saying, “There is a blockage, there is pain. Otherwise, there is no pain.”

The meridian system is just like a network. Each meridian is connected with a specific organ. The organ damage may show up from the meridian, and the local blockage of the meridian can affect the internal organ as well. That is why in TCM, when treating a pain condition, the doctor will not usually only focus on just the local pain, but also (and sometimes more important) work to rebalance and harmonize the whole body.

Meridian blockage can be caused by external reasons such as excessive cold, wind, dampness, dryness, fire (heat) or injury. It also can be caused by emotional change such as anger, sadness, fear, stress, depression, as well as an internal organ deficiency or malfunction. Figuring out what exactly is the cause of the pain and which meridian is blocked is extremely important in treating pain. Generally speaking, relieving blood and Qi stagnancy, balancing the energy, nourishing the tissue, increasing circulation, and building up deficient organs are all ways that TCM treats pain. Acupuncture can be used to correct the flow of Qi; Herbal medicine can be used to reestablish and balance Qi, blood and moisture in organ networks, in order to avert pathological factors.

Clinical studies support that acupuncture is an effective modality in the treatment of almost all kinds of pain conditions, including the following: migraines, neuralgia, neck pain, back pain, herniated disc, TMJ, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis, frozen shoulder, shoulder pain, fibromyalgia, dysmenorrhea, osteoporosis, sports and other injuries, surgical pain and even cancer pain. Researchers have discovered beneficial immune and endocrine alterations following acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture may actually help prevent pain by acting on the sympathetic nervous system and by stimulating the body to produce biochemical substances, such as endorphins, to help reduce pain.

Chinese herbs for pain treatment are often used as formulas. According to the patient’s condition, many herbs are put together like a group to enhance the power of the treatment and reduce the side effects. Some herbs have analgesic properties, and many of them are extremely potent. Herbal medicine can be used internally as well as externally. They are typically taken in the form of tea, capsules or concentrated powder. Depending on the situation, some herb preparations are given in China intravenously or subcutaneously.

Tuina, a body work therapy, is a complete system of body alignment based on TCM. It utilizes acupressure, stretching and gentle manipulation to restore balance and harmony in the human body. As an additional therapy to acupuncture treatment, cupping (negative pressure from a jar), and moxibustion (burning herbs to create heat) can also be used to treat certain types of pain such as arthritis and fibromyalgia. Chinese nutrition and exercise, such as Tai-ji and Qi-gong are also recommended in pain management.

References:

Berman BM, Swyers JP. Establish a research agenda for investigating alternative medical interventions for chronic pain. Primary care; Clinics in office practice, 1997; volume 4 (4): December.

IMC’s concise review. Alternative Medical Therapies For Pain. Overview, 2. Integrative Medicine Communications.

IMC’s Concise Review. Alternative Medicinal Therapies For Pain. Integrative Medicine Communications.

Knardahl S, Elam M, Olausson B, Wallin BG. Sympathetic Nerve Activity After Acupuncture in Humans. 1998; 75 (1): 19-25.

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few
billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are
unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person’s lifetime.

3. When the person’s immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumours.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental,
food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow,
gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not
result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence
the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer
cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

WHAT CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like
NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses
but only in very sma ll amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. Better alternative is Bragg’s aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and
substituting with unsweetened soy milk, cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than
beef or pork.  Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline
environment.  About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach
down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to no urish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try
and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at
temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties.
Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrified
and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of
cancer cells and allows the body’s killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the
body’s own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the
body’s normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger,
unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax
and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular
level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

Submitted by Chad Dupuis on Tue, 2008-11-25 18:03.

For many people when they begin to think about acupuncture it can all appear quite foreign.  Outside of the problems people generally have considering needles placed into their body, concepts such as Yin and Yang, Qi, and the “meridians” often mislead people into thinking acupuncture is a sort of pseudoscience alternative medicine.  And if you add in another common misunderstanding - that acupuncture is strongly tied to a particular religion like Taoism, you end with the impression that acupuncture is foreign to us in concepts, religious views, and philosophy.  Consequently, many people may avoid treatment because the whole concept of what acupuncture is and what it offers us is lost.

I would like to start this article with some general statements regarding what acupuncture is:

1. Acupuncture is a medicine that is backed by a very long history of safe and effective use with its theories and techniques being continually verified and improved upon by practitioners from all over the world.

2. Acupuncture is an accepted form of medicine that is used worldwide for the successful and cost effective treatment of a very broad range of cases.  See the world health organizations list of treatable conditions for an idea.

3. Acupuncture is a medicine that uses a unique set of theories which help categorize natural phenomena and help us understand the role of our environment, our emotions, and our lifestyles on our health. 

By working with the natural processes of the body and our environment one can experience the elimination of disease not just the simple masking of problems.

Now I would like to discuss some misconceptions I hear and experience as a practitioner regarding what acupuncture is not:

1. A Religion, or Tied to a Particular Religion
2. A Pseudoscience Alternative Form of Medicine
3. A Medicine Not Supported by Research
4. A Particularly Chinese Medicine

I’ll discuss each of these briefly below with the hopes that you will gain a better understanding of acupuncture and its place in our western medical systems.

1. Acupuncture Is Not: A Religion, or Tied to a Particular Religion

Chinese Medicine and the practice of Acupuncture is not a religion, requires no religious beliefs on behalf of the practitioner or the patient, and is not tied to a particular religion or belief system.  As it comes from China, it does have a basis in Taoist and Buddhist philosophies.  But there is nothing particularly Buddhist or Taoist about it - it’s just a reflection of the culture from which the medicine sprang.  The concepts like Yin and Yang, and Qi, are just that - concepts.  They are phrases used to explain phenomena that we as natural human beings experience, regardless of culture, race, or belief systems.

A recent patient of mine had mentioned to their doctor about coming in for acupuncture.  Upon being asked what they thought of acupuncture, the doctor stated, “for a godless medicine, I guess it won’t hurt.”  This is a good example of that sort of knee jerk reaction to something we may know little or nothing about.  This type of reaction is more likely when we are considering things for which the concepts that describe it are foreign to us.  Like when someone asks if you like sushi and you’ve never had it - upon describing raw fish to many westerners you may not always get the best response…  To approach the “godless” part, we can use depression as an example, Do you feel God would recommend Prozac?  A Profit Oriented Pharmaceutical System?  or did God provide us with herbs like St. John’s Wort, for example, and techniques like Prayer and Meditation that are shown to balance our frontal lobe and help with Depression?  These are good questions to think about…

Upon close inspection, acupuncture is really just a large set of theories based in common sense.  Aspects of it are similar in many ways to simple folk remedies that have pervaded western culture, many of which have roots all the way back to biblical times and beyond.  The concept of Yin and Yang is a simple example of this common sense.  Yin, for example, is just a framework to help us categorize and understand the cooling principles of the body and our environment (fluids, rest, shade, etc.), whereas Yang is the warming principles (energy, sunshine, movement, etc.).  From a medical perspective, when you are hot (excessive yang) you need to increase or take in more Yin - a piece of watermelon on a sunny day.

So watermelon is a yin tonic, that is just common sense, not a philosophical view or a religion.  These concepts in Chinese Medicine, are really just helpful ways of categorizing natural phenomena.  And these categorizations have an important role in the application of a natural medicine like Acupuncture.

2. Acupuncture Is Not: A Pseudoscience Alternative Form of Medicine
and
3. A Medicine Not Supported By Research

Since stories about acupuncture have begun surfacing in mainstream media, the reports about its efficacy are a good mix of positive and negative.  Does this mean it doesn’t work or that it is a pseudoscience?  What we know is that acupuncture is a medicine that is well over 1000 years old with a very active and relatively intact history of development, with billions of successfully treated cases worldwide.  Do we understand exactly how it works, no not exactly, but as we have found that doesn’t appear to stop it from working…

Part of the pseudoscience label comes from simple misunderstandings about some general concepts in the medicine.  I’ve had discussions about Chinese Medicine with people that say - well yin and yang “do not exist”, so how can it work?  Hot and Cold doesn’t exist, awake and resting doesn’t exist?  Well of course they do.  What happens here is people may get tied up by the concept and miss the point. 

Another troublesome concept is that of Qi.  The problem that we don’t know what it is, exactly, has little significance.  Qi is simply a concept of natural phenomena.  We know things grow, we know they move, this is explained by the concept of “Qi” - a principle of activity.  When we needle we influence this level of activity which stimulates the body to perform an untold number of functions.  These may be increasing the activity of the immune system, regulating the circulation of blood, regulating brain chemistry, and more.  How this works, exactly, we don’t know - but we use the principles to heal disease, and very often do it quite successfully.  This alone is verification of the principles. 

Research-wise there are thousands upon thousands of citations regarding acupuncture in historical texts and in medical journals worldwide, and only a fraction of these get discussed by the western media.  The mixed results often reported with acupuncture studies are easy to contend with from an acupuncturists perspective.  The number one reason the studies may show mixed results is that acupuncture is not a condition based medicine like modern western medicine.  This means that the efficacy of acupuncture will increase by tailoring each treatment to an individual and their -full- range of signs and symptoms - not just their condition.  So it would actually be expected, when using a fixed set of acupuncture points, that a certain number of people would not respond well.  The second reason is that many of the studies in the west are performed by MD’s, often with limited training in Chinese Medicine theories and techniques.  As with anyone with poor training, you would expect limited results.  All that aside, there is certainly a strong body of evidence from researchers worldwide to support the use of acupuncture and Chinese Medicine.

4. Acupuncture is Not:  A Particularly Chinese Medicine

China is undoubtedly an extremely important place for the development of this medicine and we owe a debt of gratitude to the people that have preserved and developed the medicine over its very long and ongoing history.  It is, however, used all over the world by practitioners of all races, nationalities, and genders.  And in each of these places acupuncture develops a distinctive “style” as it blends with their cultural and medical understandings.  Japanese acupuncture, for example, is a very distinctive style of acupuncture that reflects their culture.  Other systems include Korean acupuncture, French acupuncture, Worsley Acupuncture (from the UK), and more.  In the US we have medical acupuncture, the Tam Healing System (what we use), and other systems that reflect our own modern understandings of medicine, our culture and the conditions that are common to us.

While it is still rooted in Chinese history, acupuncture is a living form of medicine that is used, adapted, and further developed by people all over the world.  I hope that this article helps to clarify some issues people may have with acupuncture and helps those who need treatment to understand better what acupuncture is and is not. 

In the near future I will be publishing a monthly research synopsis of published acupuncture studies.  While it will be geared towards practitioners, many of you will find the range of studies and their results interesting.