Acupuncture...Acupuncture
is a medical therapy that originated in China over 2,000 years ago.
Acupuncture uses the insertion of sterile, hair-thin, single-use
needles into specific points on the body to stimulate the body’s own
healing systems. Stimulating a specific combination of points promotes
the circulation of blood and 'Qi', which can be translated as
'bio-electrical energy'.
What
is health according to acupuncture? It’s not the absence of pain or
symptoms. Pain and symptoms are signals from the body that something is
wrong and out-of-balance. The goal of an acupuncturist is to detect and
correct the underlying imbalance that have caused the body to express
the various symptoms.
What
causes symptoms? A variety of factors can lead to ill health, such as the environment, physical trauma, emotional trauma, falls, accidents,
inherited dysfunction, unbalanced diet and/or emotions. These factors,when
unaddressed for a period of time can result in an imbalance in the
homeostasis of the body. The medical model for the past 100 years has
been to remove symptoms, and not really look at the underlying
factor(s). The acupuncture paradigm is to detect and correct the
cause(s). The acupuncturist works to diagnose and naturally correct the
imbalance in order to return the body to health.
Chinese
Medicine can also help those who wish to improve their overall health
and energy. Acupuncturists treat patients with prevention in mind.
Acupuncture
is a therapy and can take several treatments to be beneficial. The
number of treatments depends on the condition and the health of the
patient. Patients can feel a difference right away or in 3-6
treatments.
Modern Research...
There has been much scientific research into the mechanisms of how acupuncture works.
Such studies have shown that acupuncture:
- causes the release of endorphins and other neuro-peptides that suppress pain.
- stimulates the endocrine and immune systems through the hypothalamus-pituitary system, as well as the connective tissue, which can affect the muscles it surrounds.
- changes brain chemistry by changing the release of neurotransmitters.
- points are strategic conductors of electromagnetic signals.
Science News
Study Maps Effects of Acupuncture on the Brain
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
is part of the National Institute for Health, which is an agency under the Department of
Health and Human Services. They host a great page about acupuncture and some very
common questions people might ask.
Information on Acupuncture:
Acupuncture: Can it help?
Acupuncture is one of the oldest therapies in the world, but does it really work?
World Health Organization:
Influence of acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo IVF:
Acupuncture's success at treating back pain:
Is Acupuncture Safe?
Acupuncture is safe practiced in the hands of a licensed professional.
Practitioners must pass medical board exams and a national licensing examination in order to meet all
state licensing requirements before they can legally perform
acupuncture. We are certified by the Committee on Acupuncture for Clean
Needle Technique. We use disposable, sterile needles. There are
relatively few side effects from acupuncture.
What can I expect from an acupuncture treatment?
Many people find acupuncture to be very relaxing. Falling asleep during
a treatment is not uncommon. The first treatment lasts an hour and twenty minutes and the following treatments last one hour. The
practitioner will ask questions as well as perform other diagnostic
procedures such as taking the pulse, looking at the tongue or palpating the abdomen. Other
therapies are utilized including cupping and moxabustion. Patients leave the treatment room feeling relaxed and
rejuvenated with a greater sense of balance.
