Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a medical system used to diagnose, treat and prevent illness and improve general well being. It can be used to treat acute or chronic ailments, relieve pain, enhance the body’s own natural healing power and strengthen the immune system.

Acupuncture was developed in China nearly 500 years ago, and today, because of its proven effectiveness, it is embraced and used throughout the world.

The Oriental Medical system recognizes that there is a vital force or life energy that flows through all living beings. This energy the Chinese call “Qi” (pronounced “chee”). Qi flows along meridians which are energy pathways in the body which relate to the organs and tendo-muscular system. When this energy flow is disturbed because of injury, excessive stress, poor diet, medications or environmental factors, illness or pain will occur. Acupuncture and other techniques focus on correcting these energy imbalances and regulate the flow of Qi, promoting the body’s natural healing.

Acupuncture is relatively painless since extremely fine stainless steel needles (almost as thin as a hair) are used on various areas of the body. Most patients fell minimal or no pain when the needles are inserted and once the needles are in place, there is no pain at all.

Each acupuncture point, when stimulated, has certain functional interactions in the body. Therefore, points are selected according to the action necessary to promote healing. In some instances Chinese Herbal Medicines are used in conjunction with acupuncture to enhance the treatment plan.

There are many conditions that can be effectively treated with acupuncture. Although acupuncture may not cure all conditions, it will create an improvement in most situations. Following is a sample of commonly treated conditions:

Allergies/Asthma	Shoulder Pain
Bursitis/Tendonitis	Tennis Elbow
Anxiety/Depression	Sprains/Strains
Arthritis/Joint Problems	Post Operative Pain
Back/Neck Pain and Stiffness	Sciatica
Constipation/Diarrhea/Colitis	Smoking Cessation
Colds/Flu Prevention & Treatment	Tinnitus
Sinusitis	Fatigue/Low Energy
Multiple Sclerosis	TMJ
Dizziness	Facial Paralysis
Headache/Migraine	Whiplash Syndrome
Hypertension	Weight Loss
Addictive Disorders	Sports Injuries
Automobile/Accident Injuries	Knee/Ankle/Foot Pain
Gastro-Intestinal Pain	Gynecological Problems
Health Maintenance	Stress

This depends on the severity, nature and duration of the complaint. Chronic or long-standing conditions may take one or more treatments per week for several months. Acute conditions usually take fewer treatments. However, following the recommendations of your practitioner plays an important role in the healing process. During time of treatment, the patient and practitioner become a team working toward the same goal.

After recovery, many patients choose to use Acupuncture every two to three months to maintain health.