A review by two authors from the USA discusses the ‘fascia acupuncture hypothesis’, which suggests that fascial planes are the basis of the acupuncture channels. The article considers the concept of qi in light of recent studies expanding the role of the fascia in human health, and suggesting that stimulation of the fascia by needling is capable of affecting every aspect of physiology. Structural and functional parallels between the channel system and the fascia are discussed, and the authors point out that if acupuncture is then understood as stimulation of the fascia, it becomes impossible to have a ‘sham’ acupuncture treatment, as the moment the fascia is stimulated, some kind of physiological effect will occur. Since both acupuncture and sham acupuncture stimulate the fascia, this hypothesis has important implications for the results of clinical acupuncture studies and meta-analyses. (Qi, acupuncture, and the fascia: a reconsideration of the fundamental principles of acupuncture. J Altern Complement Med. 2012 Sep;18(9):880-6).
Categories: Acupuncture research
