What is Acupuncture?
As one piece of East Asian Medicine, acupuncture and moxibustion are a complete system of healing. Sometimes it is referred to as "alternative medicine", however I believe "complimentary medicine" better describes it since it works so well with other forms of therapy, including Western Medicine. You don't have to choose one at the exclusion of the other! While this ancient medicine may be relatively new in America it has been extensively used around the world for thousands of years!
Through careful and intense observation of nature, ancient practitioners discovered that the body has flows of energy, or qi, called meridians. When functioning properly, the qi moves through these meridians without obstruction. However, disharmonies can develop from various physical, mental, or emotional stresses. These imbalances disrupt the movement of the qi along the meridian pathways. Think of a river; when the current is disrupted by falling trees, it runs over its banks and impacts wildlife and human life. In the body we experience this 'disruption' as pain, disease, and instability.
Acupuncture restores the smooth flow of qi. By treating points specifically selected for you, the body returns to its natural balance and reinvigorates the body's ability to heal itself. This healing is not linear, it is a continuous process that unfolds one moment at a time. Dis-ease becomes ease. Healing progresses. General well-being changes. Life is different.
While the needles and moxa are an important part of the healing, they don't act alone. The food we eat, busy-ness, sleep, habits, and the way we generally live our lives also impact healing. Acupuncturists often include dietary, activity, and other lifestyle recommendations to support your treatment.
Acupuncture is quite powerful as a preventive medicine to treat before the disharmonies form or escalate. One doesn't have to be sick or in pain to benefit from acupuncture!
Acupuncture is often used as a last ditch effort, when other treatments haven't produced the desired results. This doesn't have to be the case; many people have commented that they wish they would've experienced acupuncture before they endured highly invasive or costly procedures.
When performed by a skilled and licensed acupuncturist, acupuncture and the associated therapies are safe and effective!