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ACUPUNCTURE
Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal medicine are safe healing arts that have been practiced successfully for over 2,500 years. The unique strength of Chinese medicine is that the practitioner has the ability to identify both the root cause and the branch manifestation of mental and physical complaints. This system of diagnosis makes sense of even the most puzzling of symptoms and becomes the basis for a holistic treatment plan.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the ancient art of restoring balance to the human body in order to treat
and prevent disease. In an acupuncture treatment, thin, sterile, disposable needles are strategically placed on the body at specific points in order to correct the flow of energy,
or “qi” in the body. By interacting with the body's qi at these carefully chosen points,
the acupuncture treatment gives the body specific messages that help guide it back to
a point of homeostasis, or balance. Using acupuncture point prescriptions, the acupuncturist can move blockages and nourish deficiencies. When the body is returned to a point of homeostasis, not only can healing occur but the system can also respond more efficiently when challenged in the future. While treatments are effective for both acute and chronic conditions, treatments can also increase immune function and enhance general well being.
How does Chinese Herbal medicine work?
Chinese herbal medicine also works by re-establishing balance and harmony within the body. This re-balancing is accomplished when the herbologist analyzes the internal environment of the patient’s body and creates a formula that is capable of cooling that which is hot, warming that which is cold, drying that which is damp, and moistening that which is dry. Whereas acupuncture is generally administered once a week (sometimes more frequently in acute conditions), a custom prescribed Chinese herbal formula is like receiving a treatment every day. Chinese herbal formulas can be administered in the form of teas, pills, or tinctures, according to the patient’s needs.
What is a typical acupuncture treatment like?
The first visit entails a complete health history and review of systems. You will be asked questions about your sleep, energy, digestion, elimination, temperature preferences,
stress levels, etc. The acupuncturist will also look at your tongue, a viewable muscle,
and take your pulse. Using this information, the acupuncturist is able to understand
what patterns of disharmony have led to your ailments. Once the practitioner has made
a diagnosis, a treatment plan of acupuncture and/or herbs is discussed with the patient.
Most patients find acupuncture treatments to be the most relaxing part of their day!
Are acupuncture and Chinese herbs safe?
When administered by NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) board certified licensed acupuncturists/Chinese herbologists, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are extremely safe. You can check the credentials of an acupuncturist at the NCCAOM website: www.nccaom.org.
What do acupuncture and Chinese Herbs treat?
The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture’s effectiveness for over 40 common diseases, including: ear, nose, & throat disorders (sinusitis, rhinitis, sore throat, hearing impairment); respiratory disorders (colds & flus, asthma, allergies); gastrointestinal disorders (IBS, nausea, reflux); urogenital disorders (UTI’s, stress incontinence, nocturia); gynecological disorders (menstrual irregularities, PMS, infertility, endometriosis, menopausal syndrome); musculoskeletal disorders (tennis elbow, back pain, sciatica, TMJ, carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, fibromyalgia); psycho-emotional & neurological disorders (depression, anxiety, insomnia, headache & migraine, dizziness).
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