It used to be that acupuncture was seen as a new age, bizarre treatment at upscale spas or holistic health centers. But now, the value and effectiveness of acupuncture is being recognized throughout the more traditional medical community.



In particular, drug abuse treatment centers have found that acupuncture needles applied to the ear actually help drug addicts to overcome their cravings. And acupuncture to treat cravings is used at treatment centers in various parts of the United States.

In the United States, more than 700 drug addiction treatment facilities have begun to use acupuncture and acupressure as an accompaniment to more traditional treatment methods.

So why does acupuncture seem to help with cravings? The answer to this question can be vastly different depending on whom you ask.

Acupuncturists are believers in the explanation supplied by Traditional Chinese Medicine. In this view, the body is a complex circuitry of energy pathways that conduct the Chi or life energy throughout the body.

Following this concept, cravings are a result of some part of the body reacting to a blockage of the energy pathway. That blocked pathway is preventing the area from receiving its energy "nourishment."

Drugs, alcohol or other substances will temporarily alleviate the craving because they disturb the body's ability to perceive its own signals. But once the effects wear off, the craving returns.

The only way to permanently remove the cravings is to repair the body's energy pathways. That way the energy can flow freely so that all areas of the body are getting the energy that they need.

The needles used in acupuncture are applied at particular points that are believed to be blocked. This stimulates blood and energy flow to the area and clears the blockage.

Medical professionals disagree with this perception. They believe that the reason that acupuncture has shown to have beneficial effects on cravings is that stimulating the skin with needles also stimulates the nervous system. The act of lying on a table and being attended to creates a very relaxing environment as well.

The combination of these two features causes the body then to release its own naturally occurring neurochemicals into the bloodstream. For example, acupuncture releases endorphins, which help to alleviate pain and temporarily remove the experience of cravings. If a person's addiction began as a way to alleviate pain, then acupuncture may help to eliminate the underlying use for the substance in the first place.

Exactly how effective acupuncture can be for a person will vary greatly depending on the severity of the addiction and its corresponding cravings. But studies and experience have both shown that acupuncture can be a valuable addition to, although not a substitute for, a more traditional substance abuse program.