Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the oldest recognized healing techniques in the world, dating back thousands of years to its origins in China.  The World Health Organization has acknowledged that acupuncture is suitable for the treatment of numerous diseases and conditions.  Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is an individualized, holistic approach to health care.  Each patient is evaluated with a variety of diagnostic measures such as physical signs, symptoms, emotional indicators including a patient intake. Each treatment is individualized according to these findings to ensure that the whole person is treated rather than just a symptom.  The goal is to treat the root of the condition(s) to restore balance and harmony among the patient’s five major organ systems, and to help energy / qi flow freely through the meridian network. The primary theory behind acupuncture is that channels of energy run throughout the body in pathways, called meridians, and that the free flow of energy along these meridians is essential for health.  If qi is impeded or obstructed, disharmony and imbalances occurs, eventually causing what we know as a disease or painful syndrome(s).  It is believed that the meridians can be influenced through the stimulation of acupuncture points by a variety of methods (needles, massage, heat, electric stimulation), and that each meridian has a specific relationship with a set of bodily functions and the organs.  The process of identifying which meridians may need attention is a complex process, involving questions about your physical and emotional state; a careful analysis of your tongue and pulse; an examination of your skin, voice, posture and movement.