Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the oldest most commonly practiced medical procedures in the world.  It has been in worldwide continuous practice for the last 5,000 years. It is originally based on observations made by the Chinese about health and reaction to illness in relationship to nature and its seasonal changes. It is a system of relationships and correspondences between us and our environment.

Acupuncture is but one therapy within a more comprehensive system called East Asian Medicine.  In addition to Acupuncture and other manual techniques there are companion sets of nutritional principles, herbal, breathing and movement practices designed to bring balance and internal harmony.  Acupuncture and East Asian Medicine continue to evolve not only as a stand-alone system of medicine but also as a complementary and integral contributor and collaborator in functional medicine systems today.    

The effectiveness of acupuncture can be attributed to several mechanisms.  To begin with it focuses on the stagnant or restricted energy Qi (pronounced chee) located in the pathways throughout the body which are accessed and released by a number of methods.  Energy pathways are located everywhere throughout the entire body including the head and ear. Acupoints are reservoirs that are accessed by various methods including needles, low-level laser and magnets.

Bio-medically speaking acupuncture meridians may be likened to parallel pathways of nerves throughout the body that have communication links back and forth between the body and the brain.  Acupoints are access points to energy that are believed to stimulate the production of chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters as well as directly to the nerves themselves.  Impulses are activated at the site of insertion and signal both local and distant receptor sites.  A communication is set up among the needles that free the body to begin restoring harmony.

Using my hands alone is known as acupressure.  Using sterile hair thin needles is known as acupuncture which actually pierces the skin. In contrast to hollow needles used to give injections or to collect blood, acupuncture needles are many times smaller, are solid, sterile stainless steel and are discarded after each insertion.  In addition, acupoints can be stimulated by placing magnets on them, directing a shallow low-intensity laser light (amplified light beam).  You may have several acupoints stimulated in several locations on your body at one time during a treatment session.

The sensation for you varies from place to place and is dependent on several factors:  how you are feeling physically, mentally and emotionally, the time during the menstrual cycle for women and of course your expectations.  You sometimes feel a sensation of warmth, heaviness, a flutter or a vibration.  The sensation is usually immediate and results in relaxation as acupuncture stimulates the production and flow of your body’s natural endorphins.  Patients often tell me that the sensation they feel is new to them and sometimes difficult to find words for in the beginning.  

Some points may feel “stronger” than others.  What I look for as your practitioner is a sensation of movement both at the site of insertion as well as in your entire being.  Gradually, as the treatment progresses, a whole body sensation emerges as the energetics (as well as the physical sensations) begin to reverberate throughout your body.  A gradual sense of well-being, relaxation and fluid motion settles in as endorphins are stimulated and begin flowing.  

I will often ask you what you are feeling and noticing during the course of the treatment.  I am constantly monitoring your progress and your sense and well-being. It may take time for you to notice, as well as report what sensations you are experiencing.  As you relax you will become more sensitive to the sensations within your body and the changes that it is making.  Acupuncture is self-regulating. It does not impose change on your body but rather encourages a return to the relationship of your energy that is most supportive and nourishing to you as an individual.

Your pattern differentiation (diagnosis) taken from your history and interview at the beginning of each visit guide me to the select the most effective “acupuncture point prescription” for each visit.  This choice of acupoint placement may vary from time to time as well as from session to session based on the changes that have occurred in your body between treatment sessions. Needles are retained based on the strength of your constitution, your tolerance and the desired effect, usually between 30-45 minutes.  

To learn more for explanations, images, on-line videos and summaries of research and the benefits of acupuncture, please visit the following sites:  (NCCAM) The National Institutes of Health’s Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine www.nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture, (NCCAOM) The National Commission for Certification of Oriental Medicine www.NCCAOM.org and (WEAMA) The Washington East Asian Medicine Association www.WEAMA.info