Unlike western medicine, acupuncture has its origins in more than merely medical theories. There is much more to acupuncture than the teachings of science professors who explain why acupuncture points work the way they do. There is a whole philosophy to traditional Chinese medicine that goes beyond the scientific and explains why and how the body functions the way it does.

The essence of this explanation centers on what is called Qi. (Pronounced by westerners as chee) This Chinese philosophy teaches that Qi is the body's essence. Qi is the body's energy. When this becomes unbalanced or the flow somehow gets blocked or disturbed, is when a person becomes ill.

When a person becomes ill there various ways to correct it. Some of which are Chinese medicine uses herbal treatments, exercise patterns such as martial arts training, diet change, and acupuncture

Following with the philosophy of Qi, is yin and yang. When talking about a person's body yin and yang represent blood and Qi. The body takes its energy from the food, fluids, and the air it breathes. The body further gets energy from the environment through meditation and various forms of exercise.

If the body's Qi becomes out of balance then it is unable to properly absorb the things it needs for energy. When the body is out of balance it has trouble dealing with temperature, fighting disease, and tiredness.

According to Chinese philosophy there are five separate purposes that Qi serves. To begin, there is the defense of the body. The job of Qi here is to protect the body from illness. Qi supposed to protect the body from allowing germs and illness to enter through the body's defensive system.

The next function is transformation. Qi is supposed to take those things the body consumes and transform them into the nutrition that the body requires. In this way it nourishes the body. By the process of transformation it makes more Qi and blood for the body.

The next one is warmth. Qi is thought to be more yang than yin so it is naturally warm to begin with. But if something blocks the natural energy of the body the warmth will be affected as well. One of the most important jobs of Qi is to keep the body warm. The philosophy of Chinese medicine says that the blood congeals when it gets cold and so the flow is no longer good enough.

Qi must also take care of the body's organs. Keeping them in the proper places and ensuring they function properly. It is believed that if this job is not done it can cause incontinence or prolepses during pregnancy.

The final function is movement. Every part of the body that must move is controlled by Qi.

Therefore, acupuncture can be used to correct disturbed or blocked energy flow and help keep the body in balance.