Although acupuncture is a treatment form that has existed for over 2000 years, it is still evolving and changing. One of the most significant developments in the field of acupuncture is the concept of holistic systems. This idea is based on ancient Taoist philosophical conclusions about the make-up and nature of the Universe. There is a common thread based on the idea that the whole is contained within the parts. What this means is that there are miniature systems within certain parts of the body that contain the characteristics of the whole body.
This concept can be applied to acupuncture by identifying acupuncture points in these miniature systems that relate to the body as a whole. Some examples of this are Korean Hand Acupuncture and Auricular Acupuncture (Ear Acupuncture). Another example is Scalp Acupuncture. Scalp Acupuncture is popular in Japan, but has been spreading rapidly over the World in the last couple of decades.
Scalp Acupuncture, like the other holistic systems, maps the skull to find points that relate to the Meridians of the entire body. Although some traditional Meridians pass through the skull, and several well known and useful body acupuncture points are located there, Scalp Acupuncture has its own miniature body map. There are over 80 different conditions that have been identified that seem to respond especially well to Scalp Acupuncture. Pain is one of these. Conditions that involve brain functions seem a natural for this form of treatment, and very good results have been obtained with stroke patients.
Scalp Acupuncture uses extremely small and thin needles. The insertion angle is between 15 and 30 degrees and penetration is very minimal compared to body acupuncture. It is quite normal to apply stimulation to the needles during the treatment. This is done either by manual twisting or by electro-stimulation. The needles are stimulated for three or four minutes, followed by five or more minutes of rest. Patients are instructed to focus their attention and mental energy on the stimulation points during the treatments.
There are several different schools of Scalp Acupuncture that have been developing separately over the last 30 years. Each uses a slightly different mapping of the skull although the actual insertion and stimulation techniques are very similar. There is still much research and experimentation taking place in this field. The holistic system forms of acupuncture are often used in conjunction with the more time honored body acupuncture techniques. The advantage of Scalp Acupuncture is the fact that the treatments can take place in a sitting position and involve considerably less discomfort.