Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese Medicine that has been used in the Orient for at least 3000 years. It is an energy balancing system which restores and maintains health by stimulating and unblocking energy throughout the body. It can be used alone to treat and prevent illness and disease, and can also act as a complementary therapy to Western medical treatment. Acupuncture can offer relief to people who are not responding well to general medicine and to those feeling unwell, but for whom no diagnosis can be made.

How Acupuncture Works

Acupuncture treats the whole person, rather than the disease. This means that the acupuncturist looks at the patient as a whole to find the origins of illness. Very fine needles are then tapped painlessly into acupuncture points to rebalance the flow of energy in the system, by dispersing blockages or by drawing from reservoirs to replenish energy or Qi, where the body requires it. Acupuncture has always been used as a preventative medicine, able to correct imbalances in the early stages, so that more serious conditions do not develop.

Qi & Traditional Chinese Medicine

Loosely defined, Qi (also written as ‘chi’ and ‘ki’ – all pronounced as “chee”) is air, breath, blood energy, vital energy or life energy. It is the vital life force in all things. This energy is said to circulate with the blood within the human body continuously and ceaselessly. Within the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), there are 14 major meridians, or channels of Qi, that flow in the body. Each Qi channel is said to flow in a specified direction. If the energy in the channel is strong, balanced, unobstructed and flows in the proper direction, the person enjoys good physical, mental & emotional health. If the energy is weak, unbalanced, constricted or blocked, or flows in the wrong direction, characteristic pain and sickness result in the mind, body and/or spirit. TCM developed in Asia over 3000 years ago to diagnose and treat disease and poor health. The physicians of the time relied on their powers of observation of the energies of both Nature and Man. The Sun rises in the East and sets in the West; water flows from the mountains to the oceans. Man is awake in the day and asleep at night. Using the five major organ systems (Lung/Large Intestine, Heart/Small Intestine, Liver/Gallbladder, Kidney, Stomach/Spleen) and the general directional flow of the five elements (air, water, fire, earth, wood), they came to conclusions about how disease or discomfort begin in the body. They reasoned that if one had a cough, the Lung energy was out of balance and moving upward, instead of in balance and moving in its natural downward direction. Nausea and vomiting were signs that the Stomach energy was moving up instead of down. If there was constipation, the Large Intestine energy was not going downward as it should. Pain in a muscle or joint indicated a stagnation or blockage of energy flow. The ancient physicians observed pathologies and catalogued them into an entire system of medicine that is able to encompass even the most stubborn illnesses of today. With these diagnoses came treatment principles to rebalance and stimulate the body’s energy that are as effective in resolving current day health conditions as they were in centuries previous.

There are four main branches of Oriental Medicine: 1. Diet and Herbs 2. Acupuncture w/ Moxibustion, Cupping & Magnets 3. Qi Gong and Tai Chi 4. Tui-Na All branches move and rebalance Qi: • Diet and Herbs add beneficial material substance to the body • Acupuncture uses needles (inserted and non-inserted) to stimulate energy flow • Moxibustion uses heat • Magnets use north and south poles and • Cupping uses suction to stimulate the meridians • Qi Gong and Tai Chi use and build the body’s own Qi energy • Tui-Na uses physical manipulation (similar to chiropractic adjustments) These various therapies can each be used as a separate system of treatment or done in combinations with each other.

What can Acupuncture & TCM Treat?

The WHO (World Health Organization) recognizes more than 300 diseases and illnesses that Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine can and do treat and/or prevent. These include: General Pain (very effective): Auto Accidents, Whiplash, Back Pain, Neck Pain, Musculoskeletal Injuries, Headaches, Joint Pain, Migraines, Sciatica, Sharp Pain, Dull Pain, Soreness, Muscle Pain, etc. Gynecological: PMS, Cramping, Clotting, Breast Tenderness, Emotional Lability, Irregular Menses, Endometriosis, etc. Obstetrics: Nourish The Mother and Fetus, Alleviate Back Pain and Morning Sickness, Prenatal and Postpartum Care, Preparation and Assistance for Labor & Delivery, Correct Breech Positioning, etc. Respiratory: Asthma, Allergies, Cough, Bronchitis, Shortness of Breath, etc. Digestive/Excretion: Heartburn, Ulcers, Colitis, Belching, Constipation, Diarrhea, Prolapse, Hemorrhoids, Incontinence, etc. Circulation: Palpitations, High and Low Blood Pressure, Cold Hands and Feet, Angina, etc, Emotional/Mental: Stress, Anxiety, Mental Health, Mental Clarity, Memory, Mind Unsettled & Uneasy, Insomnia, Gentle Pediatrics: Asthma, Bedwetting, ADD, ADHD, Allergies, Diarrhea, Constipation, Insomnia, Immunization Reactions, etc.

What does a Treatment entail?

First, a diagnosis is determined through a thorough interview inquiring about the body’s functioning, palpation of the Pulses, Abdomen, Meridians and Points, and visual observation of the tongue, the eyes, the posture, etc. Applied Kinesiology may also be used to further diagnose systemic weaknesses and assess energy flow within the body. Following diagnosis, a treatment approach is determined. Very fine, sterile, single-use acupuncture needles are painlessly inserted into energy points in the body to effect the desired changes. Frequently, Chinese herb formulas will be prescribed to further promote and bring about healing changes within the body. The treatment usually takes about 1 hour. Depending on the extent of the patient’s condition, a course of treatments can be as few as 3 or 4 visits up to as many as 30. During the actual treatment, techniques are performed to promote and elicit comfort and relaxation within the patient. The Initial Assessment and Treatment will take approximately 1.5 hours. Follow-up sessions are typically 45 minutes to one hour. For the greatest comfort and ease during sessions, please wear loose clothing, for example work out clothing, shorts and t-shirt work very well. Feel free to bring a change of clothes for the appointment and we will provide you with a private changing room.

What you can expect following a treatment?

You can expect to experience changes from 0-72 hours after the treatment. Many people experience immediate relief, while for others it may require a few days or a few treatments before symptoms begin to subside. After the treatment, stay warm and relaxed for the rest of the day if possible. Avoid any chill wind and try to eat something warm and nourishing. After the treatment, drink extra water to assist the body in flushing out any toxins released by treatment.