What is Acupuncture?
The ancient art of acupuncture is believed to have developed over the past 3-5,000 years. It uses ultra fine needles to rebalance energy meridians in the body(no it doesn't hurt). To understand acupuncture there are a few key concepts that you must first understand. The first is Qi: It is also spelled ki or chi. It is pronounced "chee" and is essential to Chinese medicine. Qi is usually defined as energy. Meridian: These are energy pathways on the body. They circulate the qi through out the body. They are also how your body's organs communicate with other organs.
Dampness: This term is a bit hard to define, but it is what it sounds like. Dampness that accumulates in your body can cause your body to become less efficient. Phlegm is a more severe form of dampness. If your body can not digest correctly, and can not separate nutrients from waste, dampness accumulates. I know this concept is a bit difficult to understand because there is no direct concept from western terminology to link it to. Yin: I am sure you have seen the yin and yang, symbol, the black and white circle. The black side is yin. Yin is substance, its dark, and its heavy. Yang: This is the white side of the circle. Light, fast moving, and energy. One is not better than the other, and, in reality, either one with the other is pathological. You need a balance of both to maintain your health. Diagnosis Methodology Before your acupuncture treatment, you would need a diagnosis. There are a few basic methods that are usually used to determine what is out of balance. First, your acupuncturist will start by: Asking questions: This line of questioning may be quite a bit different than what you may be used. The questions would be more about what you feel, your emotions, your cravings, and your bodily functions, rather than lab tests. Feel your Pulse: The pulse taking procedure is very different than what you may have experienced at your doctor's office. Most acupuncturists take your pulse on each wrist on the radial artery. Taking the pulse can yield quite a lot of information. There are 3 pulse positions on each wrist, and each has three levels. The pulse taking procedure is not just to count the beats per minute.
Tongue observation: You would be surprised at what you can learn by observing your tongue. What color is your tongue? When your acupuncturist observes your tongue, they are checking several things. The first is the color of the coat. It should be a thin white coat, but in reality your coat could range from a spotty coat to a black coat. The second thing to observe is the color of the tongue body. Again, it can vary greatly. Your tongue should be a light red, pink color. If you take a look, it may be anywhere from white, to crimson red. The last thing is the shape of the tongue body. Checking for teeth marks, puffiness, red spots, and any other abnormalities. Not only is it necessary to check for all of these characteristics, but also the location of the abnormalities are also recorded.
After the examination, the information will be used to determine the yin and yang balance of your body. Which organs, or systems are out of function. Once that is determined, then points on the body are selected to increase or decrease energy in your meridians, and there-by stimulating or reducing functions to bring your body back to balance systems. Insertion of fine stainless steel needles into various points will stimulate energy, or Qi, flow in that meridian and there-by the corresponding organ. The procedure is painless, and, most people find it very relaxing. Imbalances can be slight, or large. Your body can have an imbalance long before you have physical illness. Absence of symptoms does not mean your body is in balance. Absence of symptoms is not health. Acupuncture is safe and effective. Below is a list of disorders the World Health Organization (WHO) determined acupuncture is effective for: INFECTIONS colds and flues bronchitis hepatitis EYES-EARS-NOSE-THROAT deafness ringing in the ear menier's earaches poor eyesight sore throat dizziness sinus infection hay fever INTERNAL hypoglycemia asthma high blood pressure ulcers colitis indigestion hemorrhoids diarrhea constipation diabetes DERMATOLOGICAL eczema acne herpes MUSCULO-SKELETAL and NEUROLOGICAL arthritis neuralgia sciatica frozen shoulder tennis elbow back pain bursitis
tendonitis stiff neck Bell's palsy trigeminal neuralgia headache stroke cerebral palsy polio meneir's disease sprains morning sickness GENITO-URINARY and REPRODUCTIVE impotence infertility pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) vaginitis irregular period or cramps MENTAL-EMOTIONAL anxiety depression stress insomnia Acupuncture is not magic. It works on balance, and restoring that balance will give you optimal health and wellness. The subject and practice of acupuncture can and is very in depth, and complicated. I have only touched on the very basics. There are some great websites dedicated to educating the public on what acupuncture can do. One of my favorites is Acupuncturetoday.com The site has a wealth of information on it. This ancient healing art may seem mystical or magical, but it is based on 5000 years of observation, and the realization that we are not separate from nature. There are certain universal laws that apply to all things, one of them being balance. When you have balance, you have health. This concept goes well beyond just using needles to stimulate points on the body, it applies to the food you eat, the drinks you drink, the thoughts you have and the activities you partake in. We use a urinalysis as an additional tool to check for balance. When I consult for patients not in my local area, I do not send them needles in the mail and tell them where the points are. I use herbal therapy and lifestyle changes to restore balance, as well as diet food therapy. Even for my local patients, acupuncture is only a small part of the treatment program. In China, the focus is more on herbs, and acupuncture is not usually used by itself. Check out the page on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for more information. |
