Acupuncture FAQ
What is Traditional Chinese Medicine? Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is composed of 5 Elements: Herbal Therapy, Acupuncture, Food Therapy, Massage (Tui Na) and Tai Chi/Qi Gong.
What does Acupuncture Treat?
The World Health Organization has determined that acupuncture is an effective therapy for over 200 clinical conditions, including:
- back pain
- neck and shoulder pain
- repetitive stress syndrome (including carpal tunnel syndrome)
- insomnia
- migraines and headaches
- alcohol, food, and tobacco addiction
- accidental injuries (promotes healing)
- sprains
- osteoarthritis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- respiratory problems
- digestive problems
- gynecological disorders
- circulatory disorders
- nervous system disorder
- Acupuncture also reduces stress and anxiety, and helps patients enter a deep state of relaxation, which enhances the healing process.
- Herbal medicine can increase the effectiveness of your acupuncture treatment and is often the primary treatment for chronic internal medical disorder
How does acupuncture work?
Acupuncture works to redirect and rebalance Qi and Blood. Qi and Blood travel in well-defined pathways throughout the body and link with the skin, muscles, organs, brain and uterus. Acupuncture points are places where qi and blood tend to get stuck and they are the gateway to the deeper parts of the body. Pain, illness and discomfort are symptoms of blocked or disrupted energy flow. The causes and origins of any blockage determine which acupuncture points will be stimulated. As harmonious flow is restored, the entire body benefits, and symptoms tend to disappear.
What is involved with the examination and consultation?
An exam/consultation includes what you tell the practitioner about your medical history and what your body says: The appearance of the face and body build, the shape and color of the tongue, the quality of the pulse, the feel of diagnostic areas such as the abdomen and back. The practitioner gleans as much information from the patient so that the treatment can be finely tuned to meet that patient’s needs.
Is acupuncture safe?
Yes. Acupuncture has no unpleasant side effects and does not interfere with any medical treatment you may already be receiving. Occasionally patients may get a small local bruise or feel light-headed for a few moments. The acupuncture itself is as gentle or strong as the patient needs. Highly sensitive patients only require a very light touch in order to get results. In China, we often witnessed a 'no pain no gain' approach to acupuncture. Generally, practitioners in the west are gentler. When anxious patients feel their first acupuncture needle, they usually respond: "Oh, is that all?" There should be no discomfort to the patient, except as new feelings often described as 'weird', 'pulling', 'warm' or 'achy'. There is usually an overall sense of deep relaxation.
The practitioner is well aware of the concern over infectious diseases, and takes every measure to insure cleanliness as all health care professional do. Our needles are sterile, are almost as thin as a human hair, are not hypodermic and are only used one time. Bleeding rarely occurs, unless done so on purpose in specific situations. Even then the amount is minimal and in no way dangerous.
