Learn more about Acupuncture
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a safe, effective, and therapeutic technique that has been used for thousands of years. While it remains a mystery to many, there is a logical system to diagnosis and treatment approach based on restoring the natural balance of the body.
In a more technical sense, acupuncture is the insertion of tiny, sterile, solid needles into the body at very specific points. These points are chosen based upon your main concern, your symptoms, your root issues, and your general body type and constitution. During an acupuncture session, your body responds to the stimulus of these tiny needles in different ways. Many times, endorphins are released, muscles relax, circulation increases, and the immune system is strengthened.
Most patients find acupuncture to be incredibly relaxing – like a rejuvenating, health-boosting nap! The treatment is comfortable, but you may feel sensations like pressure, tingling, or a general awareness of certain areas of your body during treatment. After the treatment, expect to feel calm and refreshed.
The History of Acupuncture
Acupuncture dates back at least 3,500 years and has been practiced in China and around the world ever since. Early Chinese medicine developed as people interacted and understood their environment. Simple ideas such as hot and cold, wet and dry, excess and lack in the natural world began to shape ideas about how the body worked. Balance of yin and yang became the core understanding of health.
Eventually, acupuncture needles, herbal formulation, and bodywork practices developed to help restore balance. Through experimentation and centuries of empirical evidence, the set of acupuncture points and classical formulas we use today were established.
Over the years, acupuncture and Chinese medicine shifted with the beliefs and culture of the time. During the 1950’s, a standardized style of Chinese medicine was created under Mao Ze Dong which is known today as Traditional Chinese Medicine. This form was popularized in America a few decades later, when acupuncture was formally introduced after President Nixon’s visit to China.
Today, acupuncture is still evolving with increased scientific research and medical integration. It is no longer rare to find acupuncture used in a hospital setting or to see someone with cupping marks on their back. Holistic approaches to wellness are in high demand and acupuncture is providing millions of people with a natural and effective solution to their health concerns.
What Does Acupuncture Treat?
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are known for treating patterns of disharmony, rather than specific ailments. Because of this, acupuncture can be useful in a wide range of disorders and diseases. In fact, any one issue, such as migraines, can have many different causes and treatment strategies from person to person. Similarly, a variety of different diseases can all be rooted in the same imbalance and therefore have very similar diagnoses and treatments.
In a wide sense, acupuncture is useful in treating any disorder where the body has fallen out of balance. Acupuncture is also an amazing preventative medicine, providing the body with “tune-ups” to prevent major illnesses later on in life.
Here are a few specific conditions that benefit from acupuncture treatment.
Pain
Any type of musculoskeletal pain (low back pain, neck pain, knee pain), arthritis, fibromyalgia, neuropathy, menstrual pain, headache, internal pain, injuries, athletic enhancement.
Neurological disorders
Stroke, Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson’s disease, neuropathies and neuralgias, Bell’s Palsy.
Mental Health
Depression, anxiety, mood swings, insomnia, stress, addiction.
Ear, Eye, Nose, and Throat
Sinus infections, hay fever, allergies, earache, tinnitus, hearing loss, sore throat, dizziness, vision changes, goiter.
Respiratory Disorders
Asthma, bronchitis, cough, colds, flus, emphysema.
Cardiovascular Disorders
High blood pressure, chest pain, poor circulation, anemia, arteriosclerosis.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Constipation, diarrhea, irregular bowel movements, abdominal pain, bloating, poor appetite, IBS, Crohn’s, ulcers, food allergies and intolerances, hemorrhoids, diabetes, weight management.
Reproductive and Urinary Disorders
PMS, irregular menstruation, cramping, endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS, infertility, menopause, pregnancy symptoms, UTI’s, impotence, incontinence, kidney stones, painful urination, low libido, sexual dysfunction.
Immune Disorders
Chronic fatigue, allergies, lupus, MS, hepatitis, Epstein Barr Virus, candida, HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy and radiation side effects.
Dermatology
Rosacea, urticaria, psoriasis, eczema, dry skin, burns, scars, facial rejuvenation.
