Acupuncture
What is it?
Acupuncture is one of the most important modalities in
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with thousands of years of development
and clinical practice behind it. It involves the insertion of very fine,
sterile needles into specific points on the body. Acupuncture provides a
safe and effective way to encourage the natural healing.
Channels of energy (Qi), run through the body and over its surface in regular
patterns, connecting all of our major organs. Illnesses arise when the
cyclical flow of Qi in the meridians becomes
unbalanced. Acupuncture needles
unblock the obstructions and reestablish the regular flow of energy through
the meridians. By doing so, the symptoms resulting from the imbalance are
removed.
This is the classical, Eastern explanation of how
acupuncture works. Western medicine adds scientific explanation:
acupuncture works by releasing certain chemicals (endorphins) that reduce
pain, affect pain perception and mood, regulate
the endocrine and immune systems.
What Does It Do?
According to the World Health Organization, there are
more than 40 categories of disease, which respond favorably to
acupuncture.
Pain relief without side effects: Acupuncture is well
known for its ability to reduce, and in many cases eliminate, pain, both
acute and chronic.
Preventative medicine: Prevent disease before it occurs,
restore harmony of your body and mind. Acupuncture treats the causes of
disease, not just the symptoms. It builds the immune system, reduces stress
and brings your body back to more homeostatic state.
Stress Reduction: We all know about the link between
stress and physical illness. Acupuncture works on the sympathetic nervous
system to reduce stress, allowing the body to better regulate the release
of stress chemicals and hormones.
Acute Conditions: Acupuncture works well for relieving
the symptoms of colds and flues, acute digestive disorders, sport injuries
and skin conditions.
Chronic Conditions: Many chronic conditions have been
greatly improved with Oriental Medicine even when other modalities had been
previously tried. Examples of some chronic diseases are: fibromyalgia, autoimmune disorders, asthma, Irritable
Bowel Syndrome, depression.
Women's Reproductive Health: Acupuncture and herbal
medicine is an effective treatment for many conditions related to women's
reproductive health. Some of the conditions include: painful periods,
irregular periods and PMS; menopause symptoms such as insomnia, hot
flashes, emotional irritability; nausea during pregnancy; functional
infertility.
Cancer: Acupuncture has proven effective as an adjunct
therapy addressing side effects such as fatigue, nausea, depression, and
anxiety while receiving chemotherapy and/or radiation.
What Do I Need To Know?
Unlike the needles used to give injections, acupuncture
needles are extremely fine, only twice the width of a single hair.
Acupuncture needles are designed to enter the skin with the least
resistance. You can expect to feel a
light tingling, a feeling of heaviness, warmth, or numbness at the
acupuncture site, but they do not usually cause pain.
We use only sterile, disposable needles and carry
certification in Clean Needle Technique. Patient safety is our top
priority.
Initial treatment includes detailed intake and classical
TCM diagnosis and pattern differentiation (with the treatment it takes
around 1.5h). Acupuncture follow-up
treatments last approximately 45 minutes.
During this time thin needles will be placed in various locations of
the body (arms, legs, and/or back). These needles will remain in the body
for 20-30 minutes.
Number of treatments needed depends on the nature of the
complaint, its severity and how long it has been present. Acupuncture is
scheduled as often as two times a week or as little as once a month.
Response varies. Some need only a few sessions while others need sustained
care to maintain their chronic condition.
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