Posted on Wed, 05 May 2010 19:31:30 by Rowena

What is Acupuncture?

The use of needles to treat disease began thousands of years ago in China and the Far East. It is believed that a soldier wounded by an arrow in battle discovered that an unrelated ailment that had plagued him for years quickly disappeared. This folklore is as plausible an explanation for the origin of acupuncture as can be believed. Originating in China over 3000 years ago, acupuncture is still used today as the primary health care system throughout the world.

Acupuncture is the ancient art of using needles and pressure to particular locations on the body known as acupuncture points to affect health. These points are located on pathways of energy, or meridians, which flow throughout the body. By manipulating the needles, the acupuncturist regulates the flow of Qi (the body’s life force energy).

The Eastern philosophy of health sees the body as a completely integrated system. Unlike allopathic medicine, which tends to treat the specific ailment, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), treats the entire body.

In Chinese Medicine, illnesses are considered an imbalance or blockage in the body’s natural energy flow. As long as energy flows freely through the pathways, health is maintained. However, if the flow of energy is blocked, or there is an excess or deficiency of energy in any particular meridian, illness follows.

Consider the body to be an intricate highway system, with many side roads, entries and exits. The major highways correspond to specific organ systems in the body—the Spleen, Heart, Liver, Kidneys, etc. These organ systems have many of the same properties as the organs we conceptualize in Western terms, but operate on a more energetic level.

As a wreck occurs, there is damage to the cars and possibly the site of the accident, but there is also a buildup of traffic behind the accident, as well as increased flow on access roads and side streets and a lack of traffic in front of the wreck. The same thing happens in our bodies. Energy stagnation causes overflow into some organ systems and a lack of traffic flow into others.

Imbalances may be due to emotions, poor diet, trauma, heredity, and various other factors. TCM categorizes these imbalances as excesses or deficiencies of Yin or Yang, or energy or blood or combinations thereof.

In Western terms, acupuncture has been shown to affect the central and peripheral nervous system, stimulating the circulation of blood, endorphins, and cortisol, making it extremely effective in pain control. It has also been shown to affect cholesterol, triglycerides, and sugar levels and affect the functioning of the endocrine system in general. Needling can also speed up or slow down digestive movement.

Acupuncture works to harmonize the body’s energy to create a state of balance in order to help the body heal itself.

How long will I need treatment?

The length of therapy depends on the individual and his or her type of illness. Generally, acute conditions can be treated effectively within a few treatments. Chronic conditions, which have developed over years, may lengthen the period of time for positive results. Patient’s adherence to dietary regimes and exercise will speed up the process of healing. We believe all patients must take an active role in the healing process in order to achieve maximal results.

How long are treatments?

For the initial treatment, expect to spend at least 1-2 hours with the staff. Your personal condition will be carefully evaluated through questions regarding medical history and observations such as diagnosing your tongue and pulse and palpation of organ systems. A specific diagnostic conclusion will be made after the evaluation and a combination of one or more of the following techniques will be incorporated into your treatment. Follow up visits will usually range from 45 minutes to one hour.

Does acupuncture hurt?

Acupuncture needles are very thin, solid core filaments. When placed in specific acupuncture points, the insertion technique is almost painless. A tingling sensation or dull ache may occur when the needles are stimulated. Most patients find the treatments to be very relaxing.

Is acupuncture safe?

We use only presterilized disposable needles, eliminating the risk of spreading infectious disease. Although you may occasionally have bruising from the treatment, the risk of puncturing organs is extremely rare.

What other treatment modalities are available?

Besides using needles, other methods of treatment may also be used. The acupuncturist may burn the herb moxa over certain areas to penetrate heat to the meridians for injuries, pain, or other ailments requiring tonifying warmth.

Cupping is often used to break up stagnation. Cupping is the application of glass cups to the skin creating a vacuum to bring stagnant blood and energy to the surface to be released. Gwa Sha uses a scraping method with ceramic spoons to achieve similar goals.

Tuina, or Chinese massage, is incorporated into many treatments to relieve pain and increase flexibility and range of motion in the joints. Tuina uses a combination of acupressure and many types of massage along with gentle manipulations to achieve these goals.

Other available modalities are Reiki and Jin Shin, healing arts, which move energy with light touch.

We also offer microstimulation either alone or in combination with acupuncture to help relax muscle tension.

A large percentage of our patients undergo allergy elimination through N.A.E.T. as well as functional medicine, nutrition, and exercise.

What conditions respond to acupuncture?

The World Health Organization notes more than one-third of the world’s population uses acupuncture. It is recognized as an effective treatment for more than 200 health conditions.

Some are listed below:

Addictions
ADHD
Allergies
Anxiety
Arthritis
Asthma
Bed Wetting
Bladder Dysfunction
Bronchial Asthma
Bronchitis
Bursitis
Colitis
Common Cold
Constipation
Depression
Diarrhea
Dysmenorrhea
Ears, Ringing
Endometriosis
Facial Paralysis
Fibroids
Fibromyalgia
Flu
Frozen Shoulder
Gastritis
Gingivitis
Headaches and Migraine
Hemorrhoids
Hypertension
Infertility
Insomnia
Irritable Bowel
Irritability
Low Energy
Mastitis
Menstrual Problems
Morning Sickness
Nausea
Muscle Spasms and Strains
Non-surgical
Facelifts
Obesity
Pain of all types
Pharyngitis
PMS
Rhinitis
Sciatica
Sinusitis
Sexual Dysfunction
Skin Conditions
Smoking Cessation
Sports Injuries
Stress
Stroke (Post)
Tennis Elbow
Tendonitis
TMJ/Jaw Pain
Tonsillitis
Toothache
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Urinary problems
Uterine bleeding

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