What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a 2,500 year old Chinese medical procedure which in the United States has become a leading choice for the treatment of pain and hundreds of other conditions. During a typical treatment very thin, solid, hair like needles are placed with little or no sensation at specific points on the body. The stimulation of acupuncture points causes self-healing events in the body by balancing the hormonal system and the central and peripheral nervous systems. It promotes the body's innate healing capacities, releasing chemicals in the body such as cortisone (anti-inflammatory) and serotonin (calming, mood elevator).
Acupuncture is an ancient understanding of biomedical mechanisms in the human body, for detailed information on this subject I invite you to read: Energy – Meridian Misconceptions of Chinese Medicine (PDF).
Pain Relief
Acupuncture stops pain by releasing endorphins and enkephalins which have pain stopping properties and by interrupting the signals of pain to the brain; it can break cycles of muscle pain caused by muscle energy crisis (high concentration of calcium not allowing muscles to relax). Acupuncture improves homeostasis, normalizes body functions, stops pain and promotes self-healing.
What does acupuncture treat?
The World Health Organization (WHO), in its official report entitled Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials has found acupuncture to be effective for the following conditions:
Pain: low back, neck, knee, face, dental, & post-operative pain, sciatica, sprains, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia
Arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis of the shoulder
Ob/Gyn conditions: Malposition of the fetus, induction of labor, morning sickness, dysmenorrhea (painful
periods), infertility, lactation deficiency, PMS, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS aka Stein-Leventhal
syndrome)
Gastro-intestinal disorders: Peptic ulcer, nausea & vomiting, acute bacillary dysentery, acute &
chronic gastritis, acute epigastralgia (epigastric aka stomach pain), ulcerative colitis, gallstones
Cardiopulmonary disorders: Hypertension, hypotension, asthma
Ear, Nose, Throat, Head, Face: Earache, headache, allergic rhinitis, acne, Bell's Palsy, Meniere's
Disease, sore throat
Addictions: Tobacco addiction, alcohol dependence & detoxification, narcotic addiction
Urogenital: Male sexual dysfunction, chronic prostatitis, recurrent lower UTI, retention of urine, kidney
stones
Respiratory: Asthma
Psycho-emotional: Depression, schizophrenia, insomnia
Please remember that the above list is what acupuncture treats according to the World Health Organization. Acupuncture is helpful for many more conditions than these. If you do not see yours listed here, simply give us a call or email to ask if acupuncture is right for you!
Other Therapies Offered at the Clinic:
Number of treatments:
This depends upon the duration, severity, and nature of the complaint. Generally from ten to twenty treatments are adequate for the majority of chronic disorders. Some acute conditions may only require a single treatment and some degenerative conditions may require as many as 20 treatments. However, the patient has the right to expect that their major complaint will be addressed and treated in a direct and timely manner.
What does acupuncture feel like?
Prior to their first treatment, many people do not believe that acupuncture can be painless. Over the centuries, refined needle insertion techniques have been developed which enable the skilled acupuncture practitioner to place a needle with little or no sensation. People often report that they feel some warmth, pressure, or dull aching and that the feeling is unfamiliar but relaxing. Acupuncture needles are very fine, about the size of a thick hair. They are solid, and nothing is injected through them. So they have very little in common with the "monster needles" most people remember from their childhood. All needles are sterilized and disposable.
Acupuncture is a 2,500 year old Chinese medical procedure which in the United States has become a leading choice for the treatment of pain and hundreds of other conditions. During a typical treatment very thin, solid, hair like needles are placed with little or no sensation at specific points on the body. The stimulation of acupuncture points causes self-healing events in the body by balancing the hormonal system and the central and peripheral nervous systems. It promotes the body's innate healing capacities, releasing chemicals in the body such as cortisone (anti-inflammatory) and serotonin (calming, mood elevator).
Acupuncture is an ancient understanding of biomedical mechanisms in the human body, for detailed information on this subject I invite you to read: Energy – Meridian Misconceptions of Chinese Medicine (PDF).
Pain Relief
Acupuncture stops pain by releasing endorphins and enkephalins which have pain stopping properties and by interrupting the signals of pain to the brain; it can break cycles of muscle pain caused by muscle energy crisis (high concentration of calcium not allowing muscles to relax). Acupuncture improves homeostasis, normalizes body functions, stops pain and promotes self-healing.
What does acupuncture treat?
The World Health Organization (WHO), in its official report entitled Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials has found acupuncture to be effective for the following conditions:
Pain: low back, neck, knee, face, dental, & post-operative pain, sciatica, sprains, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia
Arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis of the shoulder
Ob/Gyn conditions: Malposition of the fetus, induction of labor, morning sickness, dysmenorrhea (painful
periods), infertility, lactation deficiency, PMS, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS aka Stein-Leventhal
syndrome)
Gastro-intestinal disorders: Peptic ulcer, nausea & vomiting, acute bacillary dysentery, acute &
chronic gastritis, acute epigastralgia (epigastric aka stomach pain), ulcerative colitis, gallstones
Cardiopulmonary disorders: Hypertension, hypotension, asthma
Ear, Nose, Throat, Head, Face: Earache, headache, allergic rhinitis, acne, Bell's Palsy, Meniere's
Disease, sore throat
Addictions: Tobacco addiction, alcohol dependence & detoxification, narcotic addiction
Urogenital: Male sexual dysfunction, chronic prostatitis, recurrent lower UTI, retention of urine, kidney
stones
Respiratory: Asthma
Psycho-emotional: Depression, schizophrenia, insomnia
Please remember that the above list is what acupuncture treats according to the World Health Organization. Acupuncture is helpful for many more conditions than these. If you do not see yours listed here, simply give us a call or email to ask if acupuncture is right for you!
Other Therapies Offered at the Clinic:
- Electro-acupuncture
- Auricular (ear) acupuncture
- Nutritional Therapy (TCM)
- Cupping therapy
- Moxibustion (acu-point heat therapy)
- Stop smoking/weight loss protocol
- Acupressure (Anmo/Tuina)
- Guasha therapy
Number of treatments:
This depends upon the duration, severity, and nature of the complaint. Generally from ten to twenty treatments are adequate for the majority of chronic disorders. Some acute conditions may only require a single treatment and some degenerative conditions may require as many as 20 treatments. However, the patient has the right to expect that their major complaint will be addressed and treated in a direct and timely manner.
What does acupuncture feel like?
Prior to their first treatment, many people do not believe that acupuncture can be painless. Over the centuries, refined needle insertion techniques have been developed which enable the skilled acupuncture practitioner to place a needle with little or no sensation. People often report that they feel some warmth, pressure, or dull aching and that the feeling is unfamiliar but relaxing. Acupuncture needles are very fine, about the size of a thick hair. They are solid, and nothing is injected through them. So they have very little in common with the "monster needles" most people remember from their childhood. All needles are sterilized and disposable.
