Acupuncture
A timeless treatment for supporting vitality and wellness
what is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a medical therapy developed over 2000 years ago in Asia. Acupuncture stimulates specific points on the body through the gentle insertion of acupuncture needles to promote, restore, and maintain health and wellness.
Acupuncture promotes the bodies natural healing ability, enhances immunity, and supports emotional and mental health. It is used to treat both acute and chronic conditions, mental and emotional disorders, digestive disorders, insomnia, gynecological disorders, and more.
The beauty of acupuncture is in its ability to work at the root of the problem verses just masking symptoms. Working from a place of individuality, acupuncture differentiates your unique symptoms and constitution to create a truly personalized treatment plan.
Acupuncture main objective though is to be used when healthy to maintain health. When the body and Qi are healthy, the body can easily fight off pathogens and self-correct imbalances in Qi. Frequent acupuncture treatments can help to boost your bodies own ability to maintain the free flow of Qi. This self regulation is the true goal of acupuncture.
How Does it work?
A detailed health history plus tongue and pulse reading give the practitioner a view into the patient’s current pattern of disharmony. After the pattern(s) of disharmony is identified, the practitioner selects specific points on the body that correspond to the diagnosis (called a point prescription), as well as additional adjunctive therapies that may also help.
There are many different styles and techniques of acupuncture. Your practitioner will choose the right technique for your unique case based on the gathered information.
After insertion of the needles, the practitioner will let you relax for 20-30 mins on the table. This allows for patients to to have both a physical and mental break to just be. During this time most patients often fall asleep and its affectionately called an Acu-Nap. Some adjunctive therapies require practitioner supervision, such as e-stim, and in those cases will stay in the room during this rest time.
Research
What is a pattern of disharmony?
The simplified explanation is that the body is a vessel for vital energy, which is known as Qi (pronounced chi). Qi flows throughout the body in specific pathways called meridians. The free flow of healthy Qi is vital for health. When the flow of Qi is disrupted, the functions of the body are impacted. The body and internal organs need the nourishment that Qi brings, so when Qi is weak the body and organs lack nourishment and they can no longer function properly. If there is too much Qi, the meridians can get blocked and create areas of stagnation, that eventually leads to pain and discomfort.
This disharmony of Qi also affects other body substances. Qi is tied to blood, so when Qi is unbalanced, so is the blood. The healthy movement of Qi also impacts the bodies fluid metabolism. Imbalances in fluid can lead to phlegm, excess moisture, or excess dryness.
A pattern of disharmony also involves the organs of the body (a TCM perspective). These 12 organs are called Zang Fu organs and they represent the many functions of the body. These functions are done at an energetic, physiological, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. The Zang Fu organs work together to control all life activities. TCM practitioners use many diagnostics techniques to evaluate the Zang Fu by identifying pathological changes to body functions, somatic tissues, mental health, and more.
