Acupuncture is among the oldest healing practices in the world. As part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture aims to restore and maintain health through balancing the body's energy system. The stimulation of specific points (acupoints) on the body can influence physiological processes maintaining homeostasis (balance).
Why should I see an Acupuncturist?
Acupuncture is a safe and effective holistic medicine backed by more than two thousand years of practice and research. It is practiced worldwide both as a primary and adjunctive treatment for a wide range of conditions. While there are somewhat standard treatment protocols for many conditions, the clinical success of acupuncture is related - at least in part - to the wide range of diagnostic signs and symptoms which are taken into effect when looking at an imbalance. For a condition such as arthritis effecting the knees, we may perform an EMI graph (See below), look at your tongue, check your pulse, ask about your diet and lifestyle, palpate your spine, etc. This range of diagnostic information allows acupuncture practitioners to develop a treatment strategy that is unique to you and your experience of a particular condition.
Modernization of Acupuncture
Modern advances utilizes a computer aided diagnostic graph that determines which meridians are out of balance. Specific acupoints are used to balance meridians that have too much qi, too little qi, or imbalances from left to right sides of the body.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points located near or on the surface of the skin which have the ability to alter various biochemical and physiological conditions in order to achieve the desired effect.
The classical Eastern explanation for how acupuncture works is that channels of energy or “Qi” run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These channels, called meridians, are like rivers flowing through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissues. An obstruction in the movement of these energy rivers is like a dam that backs up, creating imbalance and pain.
Stimulating the acupuncture points can influence the meridians; the acupuncture needles unblock the obstructions at the dams, and reestablish the regular flow through the meridians.
A more scientific explanation of acupuncture is that the stimulation of certain trigger points on the body by acupuncture needles prompts the body to release certain hormones and chemicals that can reduce pain, regulate the endocrine system, and calm the nervous system.
Acupuncture points are areas of designated electrical sensitivity. Inserting needles at these points stimulates various sensory receptors that, in turn, stimulate nerves that transmit impulses to the hypothalamic-pituitary system at the base of the brain.
The hypothalamus-pituitary glands are responsible for releasing neurotransmitters and endorphins, the body's natural pain-killing hormones. It is estimated that endorphins are 200 times more potent than morphine. Endorphins also play a big role in the functioning of the hormonal system. This is why acupuncture works well for back pain and arthritis and also for P.M.S. and Infertility
The substances released as a result of acupuncture not only relax the whole body, they regulate serotonin in the brain which plays a role in human and animal disposition. This is why depression is often treated with acupuncture.
Some of the physiological effects observed throughout the body include increased circulation, decreased inflammation, relief from pain, relief of muscle spasms and increased T-cell count which stimulates the immune system.
Is Acupuncture safe?
Acupuncture needles are surgical stainless steel, sterile and disposable. In the hands of a trained licensed physician or acupuncturist, your safety is assured. What to expect on your first visit....
On your first visit a thorough consultation, past medical history, and a physical exam will be performed. Electro Meridian Imaging will also be conducted. Typically, needles are inserted form ¼ to 1 inch in depth. Depth of insertion will depend on nature of the condition being treated, the patients' size, age, and constitution.
While the needles are in they feel comfortable. They are very thin (only about three times the thickness of a human hair and much finer than the hypodermic needles used to give injections) and are designed to enter the skin with little resistance. Once the needles are inserted (generally from 10 to 30 are used depending on the condition), the needles can be manipulated or electrically stimulated to increase the energy flow. The needles may be left in for 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the ailment. Different people experience different sensations from Acupuncture. Some describe a tingling, pins-and-needles, or a heaviness feeling, others may feel numbness or nothing at all. Most find the sessions relaxing, and many fall asleep during or immediately after treatment. In general, visits occur once or twice a week for one to two months until therapeutic results are achieved.
What can Acupuncture treat? Eye, Ear, Nose, Throat Disorders Sinusitis Sore throat Hay fever Earache Nerve deafness Ringing in the ears Dizziness Poor eyesight
Circulatory Disorders High blood pressure Angina pectoris Arteriosclerosis Anemia
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) Irregular, heavy or painful menstruation Endometriosis Menopause Fibroids Chronic bladder infection Complications in pregnancy Morning sickness Kidney stones Impotence Infertility in men and women Sexual dysfunction
Immune Disorders
Candida Chronic fatigue HIV and AIDs Epstein Barr virus Allergies Lupus MS Hepatitis
