information about acupuncture

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Extremely thin, sterile, disposable needles are inserted painlessly into acupuncture points and areas of pain or dysfunction. These points are then opened, allowing the body’s natural healing energy or "chi" to flow through the channel or meridian system. The goal of acupuncture is to bring the body into a state of normal balance.

Acupuncture is often accompanied by an achy, heavy, or tingling sensation. Most who experience acupuncture find it to be a very relaxing and stress-reducing experience.

Other techniques employed may include Shiatsu or Anma (Asian Massage), Cupping (use of suction), Gwa Sha (rubbing the skin), Moxabustion (heating the skin with burning herbs) and Electroacupuncture.

Visit the symptom  index to relate symptoms or disorders to the acupuncture points or visit the acupuncture point center to access a complete and comprehensive database of the acupuncture points.

What You Can Expect

Shiatsu
  Shiatsu is Asian Therapy that uses pressure on acupuncture points in conjunction with stretching and massage to effect the musculature as well as underlying conditions. Much attention is paid to the muscles that run along the vertebrae as they are tied to all of the body's organ systems. Thus, diagnosis and treatment can be carried out at the same time. A full-body shiatsu treatment takes about an hour. It is performed with the client fully clothed.

Cupping
    Cupping is a technique that is often used by acupuncturists that involves applying suction pressure to an area with a glass or plastic cup to break-up underlying muscle tension or blood stagnation. This may sometimes leave bruise marks, as the blood comes to the surface, which disappear in a couple of days. Normally, this is done to the back and torso of the body.

Gwa Sha (Gua Sha)
     Sometimes called coining, this is a technique that works to remove stubborn stagnant blood from the skin and muscles that is causing localized pain. This will also bring this blood to the surface where it may leave a mark for a few days.

Moxabustion
     This is a major technique of acupuncturists. Acupuncture therapy is called Acumoxabustion in many parts of the world. There have been famous doctors that have used only this technique to treat diseases. 

     There are several ways it is used. A burning "cigar" of moxa (a condensed roll of Artemesia aregata or mugwort) is used to warm areas of the body by passing it over points needed for treatment. Sometimes moxa is ignited directly on the skin and quickly removed when it gets too hot or very minute rice grained size pellets are burned on top of a protective ointment. Some acupuncturists make use of attaching moxa to the head of a needle while it is in the skin. All of these procedures should be pain-free and under the complete control of the client. 

Electroacupuncture
     In this procedure, leads are attached to needles from a 9 volt battery electroacupuncture machine. Very small amounts of electricity are directed into the needles to intensify the stimulation of acupuncture points. This, again, should not be painful or uncomfortable and be under the control of the client. Generally, stimulation increase is stopped at the point the client first feels sensation.