What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is one modality that makes up Traditional Chinese Medicine. Modern acupuncture is based on thousands of years of studying clinical outcomes and incorporates new research studies being performed to keep the medicine current today.

Acupuncture works on the premise that there are meridians (also called channels) in the body and energy or “qi” flows along these meridians. When qi becomes stagnant or blocked, or if there isn’t enough qi, illness can result. By inserting acupuncture needles into specific points along these meridians, the qi can be manipulated and can be made to flow freely again, resulting in better health.

Acupuncture is commonly thought of as a treatment for pain, but is also used to treat many other types of health problems with great success. The list of conditions commonly treated from the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of health is long, and includes these commonly treated issues:

Back and neck pain
Arthritis
Temporomandibular disorder
Joint pain
Muscle aches and Fibromyalgia
Headaches and Migraine
Insomnia
Stress
Fatigue
Low-immunity
Digestive complaints
Allergies and Sinusitis
Common Colds
Pre-menstrual syndrome and menstrual problems
Peri-menopausal and menopausal issues

And best of all, when performed by a qualified and licensed acupuncturist, there are very few negative side effects. Most people report positive side effects, such as decreased stress and improved energy.