Scalp Acupuncture

By blending current western medical knowledge of the cerebral cortex with traditional Chinese acupuncture techniques, the modern practice of scalp (or head) acupuncture has proven to be a useful treatment for a variety of disorders of the central nervous system. Continuing a long-term trend to integrate the 2500+ year old Chinese traditions with technological advancement, such as with electro- and laser acupuncture, this modality is a significant development that can lead to significant improvements for both acute and chronic symptoms, often after only several minutes of treatment.

The relationship between brain and body in the growth and treatment of disease conditions was the subject of the first treatise on acupuncture, The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine (Huang Di Nei Jing) written in 100 BC, and needling the scalp has been a part of practices since at least that time, and mentions of scalp applications are found throughout the body of works produced since that time.

Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine.

Though acupuncture of the scalp was always a part of traditional practice, modern head acupuncture has adapted older techniques to conform with findings regarding neurophysiology and cortical representative areas. Beginning in the 1950's, Chinese physicians began the arduous process of matching stimulation areas with clinical experience and new physiological information. In 1971, Dr. Jiao Shun-fa, a neurosurgeon and the accredited founder of the modern practice, undertook a systematic charting of scalp correspondences using his extensive knowledge of neuro- anatomy and physiology. Within 10 years time, the practice was being applied to cases of paralysis and stroke-induced aphasia, primarily. New studies have expanded the range of disorders that show positive treatment results, especially with cases involving paralysis and neurodegenerative pain.