About Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a major component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It originated in China more than 3,000 years ago and is used to treat illness, prevent disease, and improve overall well-being. By inserting sterile, disposable needles at designated points of the body, the practitioner stimulates and balances the flow of Qi, (pronounced "chee"), which is the body’s natural energy or life force. Acupuncture not only helps to correct chronic conditions, but it also facilitates disease prevention by strengthening the natural immune system.

Opening energy pathways

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, energy is believed to circulate throughout the body along 14 well-defined energy pathways or meridians. Points on the skin along these pathways are energetically connected to specific organs, body structures, and systems. These energy pathways can be blocked or disrupted, resulting in negative health outcomes.

Through the stimulation of well-defined acupuncture points, the energy pathways can again be reconnected and balanced. The body’s vitality is thus restored and the body begins to heal itself accordingly.

Relieving pain

Acupuncture stimulates the production of endorphins, the body’s natural pain killers. It blocks the transmission of pain signals to the brain and increases circulation in the problem areas, promoting tissue regeneration. Acupuncture effectively deactivates trigger points. These trigger points are overly sensitive spots beneath the skin that sometimes "trigger" pain or other symptoms or "refer" pain to another part of the body, either close or remotely.

Promoting healing

Acupuncture works by instigating the body’s own natural healing ability. It is a comprehensive system of preventive health care and health maintenance. The effectiveness of acupuncture is well documented and extends far beyond its widely known use for chronic pain management and pain relief.

Many athletes have discovered that acupuncture treatment helps them to achieve optimum performance levels. Recently, acupuncture detoxification treatments have been recognized as a valid form of therapy for chemical dependency problems, such as smoking addiction. Throughout its long history, acupuncture has established a solid reputation as a system of health care that works.