1Acupuncture Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine:

and Chinese Medicine

Chinese Medicine is a holistic system of healthcare that has evolved over the past 3000 years. It encompasses not only acupuncture, but also herbal therapy, diet, and lifestyle to maintain health and wellness and treat illness. Chinese Medicine treats the body, mind, and spirit as a whole. The focus of treatment is not only on the symptoms, but on the root of the problem. Why do these symptoms exist? Physical disease is the final manifestation of longstanding imbalance and disharmony within your body. Chinese Medicine treats the patient by balancing and restoring a state of equilibrium. Furthermore, chronic complaints that Western Medicine may not recognize as disease can be addressed with Chinese Medicine.

Qi:
There is no direct translation for qi (chi) in English. The best way to describe it is energy. Qi is in every living thing. In Chinese Medicine there are Meridians, or Channels in our body that qi flows through. Acupuncture manipulates this flow of qi through the Channels to restore balance as previously mentioned. Qi animates the body as well as protects it from illness. A persons health is influenced by the quality, quantity, and balance of qi. When qi flows smoothly through the body, one has good physical, mental, and emotional health. When there is an obstruction of qi, it is like a traffic jam, backing up flow in one area and not getting to others. This obstruction inhibits qi from nourishing certain parts of the body.

What to expect when receiving acupuncture:

First, the acupuncturist will take a full health history. He or she will feel your pulse and look at your tongue which allows for further diagnostic assessment. Thin, sterile stainless steel, solid needles will be inserted into acupuncture points on the body. When the needles are inserted you may experience a sensation of tingling, warmth, heaviness, or dull achiness. This activates the bodys Qi and promotes natural healing by enhancing physical and emotional health. After a treatment, a person may feel relaxed or energized. A session will typically last one hour. Included in the session in addition to acupuncture may be; chinese herbal recommendations, tui na (chinese massage), cupping, gua sha, electrical stimulation, moxibustion, and nutritional and lifestyle recommendations. The number of treatments needed will depend on the person. However, onboard, I will recommend 3-5 sessions to maximize optimal effectiveness. Acupuncture has a cumulative effect, meaning the more treatments one receives the more effect one may have.

Chinese Herbs:
Herbs are a powerful and sometimes necessary adjunct to treatment. Chinese herbal supplements are made of natural ingredients, are almost free from side effects, and have much less toxicity than Western synthetic or natural extract drugs. Herbs treat a wide variety of symptoms while stimulating the bodys natural healing ability.

A sample of conditions acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can treat:

Addiction Anxiety/Depression Arthritis Asthma Allergies Bladder/Kidney Problems Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Constipation/Diarrhea Colds/Flu Dizziness Diabetes Fatigue Frozen Shoulder Gynecological Problems Headache/Migraine High Blood Pressure Immunodeficiency Conditions Infertility Irritable Bowel Syndrome Menopause Morning Sickness PMS Rhinitis Sciatica Seasonal Affective Disorder Sleep Disorders (Insomnia) Sinusitus Skin Problems Stress/Tension Trigeminal Neuralgia Tinitus Vision Problems PAIN!!! Of course there are MANY more...