What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely thin needles through your skin at strategic points on your body. A key component of Traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is most commonly used to treat pain.

Traditional Chinese medicine explains acupuncture as a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force — known as qi or chi (CHEE) — believed to flow through pathways (meridians) in your body. By inserting needles into specific points along these meridians, acupuncture practitioners believe that your energy flow will re-balance.

In contrast, many Western practitioners view the acupuncture points as places to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue. This stimulation appears to boost the activity of your body's natural painkillers and increase blood flow.

 

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Approximately 2,000 different acupuncture points lie along the body's meridians. The idea behind acupuncture is that stimulating these points with acupuncture needles or pressure relieves obstructions in the flow of energy, enabling the body to heal.

 

In the Western view, acupuncture likely works by stimulating the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) to release chemicals called neurotransmitters and hormones. These chemicals dull pain, boost the immune system and regulate various body functions.

 

What Ailments Can Be Treated?

Chronic and Acute Pain
injuries
headaches
neck pain
shoulder pain
back pain
tendonitis
sciatica
carpal tunnel syndrome
fibromyalgia

 

Neurological Disorders
Post-stroke recovery
Bell's Palsy,
Trigeminal Neuralgia
movement disorders

 

Upper Respiratory Disorders
asthma
allergies
bronchitis
sinusitis
sore throat
colds
flu
laryngitis

 

Digestive Disorders
irritable bowel syndrome
colitis
constipation
diarrhea
gastritis
heartburn
food allergies
ulcers

 

Urinary and Reproductive Disorders
cystitis
menstrual cramps
irregular or heavy periods
infertility
menopausal symptoms

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Immune Function 
Eye and Ear Disorders

recurrent infections
supportive treatment for cancer patients during chemotherapy

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