why try acupuncture?
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have been successfully used for thousands of years. The first known records of this medicine date to over 5,000 years ago. While acupuncture and TCM are used to treat illness and injury, they also are used to aid recovery from surgery. Further, they can be used to enhance mental and physical well-being in people of all ages.
There are several good reasons to try acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. One is that it has been around for thousands of years and has billions of people in many countries with a good success rate. Another is that it has been used to treat many conditions at every age. It is not just used to treat someone who is ill but to promote and maintain well-being. When you are well, it can help you thrive with balance and stability.
A few examples:
- Supports the immune system to prevent illness
- Healthy aging
- Stress Management
Acupuncture can also be used in conjunction with other therapies such as promoting healing after injury, illness or surgery.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is minimally invasive and is a mostly relaxing procedure. The sterile, disposable single use microfilament needles are used, which are very thin and often are not felt. Sessions are mostly relaxing and then invigorating.
Acupuncture stimulates specific points along the energetic pathway which travel throughout our bodies and connecting and supplying energy to the vital organs. In Traditional Asian Medicine, this energy is vital energy called Qi and everything from diet, emotions, stress and environmental toxins could inhibit the proper flow of Qi. This creates energy blockage and the body becomes out of balance. Cause of all illness arise from this imbalance in Traditional Chinese Medicine
There are ways to treat acupuncture points without needles as well. Other modalities include:
- Tui Na
- Cupping
- Moxibustion
- Herbs and supplements
- Nutrition
- Qi Gong
- Tai Chi and more
These modalities work with the body to promote the patient and practitioner to bring about the health in a way that is just right for the individual.
Tui Na : Tui Na has been used for thousands of years to treat injuries and rehabilitation.Tui Na is an ancient Chinese medical therapy which revolves around the use of the physician's hands to diagnose through palpation and treat diseases and illness with variety of manual techniques using traditional Chinese medical theory as a basis for treatment.
Cupping : This practice dates back as early as 3000 B.C. In ancient Greece, Hippocrates (c. 400 B.C.) used cupping for internal disease and structural problems. This method in multiple forms spread into medicine throughout Asian and European civilizations. Cupping uses glass or plastic cups and a local suction is created on the skin by a partial vacuum created in cups by heat or suction is placed on the skin to encourage blood flow in order to promote healing. It may leave a temporary bruised marks on the skin which will dissipate.
Moxibustion : Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy that involves the burning of moxa made from dried mugwort. Moxibustion has been used many parts of Asia for thousands of years to facilitate healing and to maintain general good health.
Herbal Supplements : Chinese herbal formulas consists of two or more single herbs carefully chosen to enhance and balance one another to address not only the symptoms of the underlying causes but also to support any deficiencies and excess of the condition. Chinese Herbal Medicine can enhance the effects of acupuncture and and it is carefully prescribe to meet individual health needs, making adjustments as needed to increase the healing benefits. Although the side effects of Chinese Herbs are minimal, they should only be prescribed by a skilled, licensed practitioner.