Acupuncture

• What is Acupuncture?

• What to Expect

The Theory
Acupuncture is a truly ancient healing art. Its history stretches back over three thousand years. Few aspects of modern medicine have endured such a track record.
Acupuncture is used to effectively treat pain syndromes as well as most medical conditions with very few side effects. Endorphins (the body’s natural morphine) are released when acupuncture points are stimulated.

From a Traditional Chinese medicine perspective, acupuncture works because it restores balance. Acupuncture points are located along meridians, or energy tracks, throughout the body. Qi, or the body’s life force, is circulated and distributed through these meridians. The acupuncture points are stimulated when the needle is inserted to move the energy. The occurrence of disease is fundamentally due to a relative imbalance of yin and yang. Excess yang conditions (i.e. acute pain, hot painful joints, fever, hyperactivity, throbbing headache) require sedation and the selection of yin points to balance the yang energy. Likewise, when a yin state is dominant, (fatigue, coldness, chronic back pain, infertility) the focus of the treatment will be to balance yin and yang energies. In essence, acupuncture activates the meridians through the acupuncture points to regulate the function of the internal organs, qi and blood, and to treat and prevent disease.

What to Expect
Acupuncture treatments are 30 minutes in length and are generally given once per week. However, this may vary depending on the condition. The patient is reclined and relaxed on the table and the acupuncture needles are inserted at the acupuncture points at various locations on the body. Sterilized, one-time use needles are used. The needles are very thin and are rarely felt on insertion and are retained for approximately 20 minutes.