Acupuncture FAQs.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the art of inserting flexible, hair–thin needles into specific points on the body to help a person heal. An acupuncture point is a point at which qi (pronounced “chee,” meaning the body’s life force or vital energy) gathers and may be accessed. Acupuncture is the most well–known branch of Chinese Medicine.
What is Chinese Medicine?
Chinese Medicine is one of the oldest systems of health care in the world, dating back around 4,000 years. It encompasses acupuncture, moxibustion (the burning of mugwort near acupuncture points), herbal medicine, diet therapy, massage techniques, and qigong (energy cultivation/ exercise). In Oregon, people who are licensed to practice Chinese Medicine are called “Licensed Acupuncturists,” a title which tends to obscure the other branches of the medicine.
How does Acupuncture work?
Acupuncture works by guiding the body back to its natural state of balance so that the body can heal itself. This is accomplished by regulating the qi, energy, which flows along pathways called “meridians” that connect the different areas of the body and the internal organs. Each meridian is its own functional system with its own particular responsibilities. Just as the Western Medical model has the digestive system, the endocrine system, and the nervous system, the Chinese model references the Spleen meridian, the Liver meridian, the Kidney meridian, etc.
When the qi gets stuck or depleted in any of the meridians, many seemingly unrelated problems arise. For example, tiredness, abdominal bloating, and difficulty falling asleep might seem like very different symptoms, but in Chinese Medicine, they could be seen as part of the same underlying pattern of Spleen qi deficiency. We then treat the pattern and all the symptoms tend to improve.
Studies have shown acupuncture affects the nervous system by stimulating the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands, which respond by releasing neurotransmitters such as endorphins and serotonin, the body’s natural painkillers and “feel–good” chemicals. Other measurable physiological responses include enhanced blood circulation, decreased inflammation, and increased production of T-cells.
What can Chinese Medicine treat?
Chinese Medicine is a comprehensive holistic health care system that can treat a wide variety of conditions on the physical, emotional, and spiritual levels, including: stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, chronic and acute pain, arthritis, headaches, colds and flu, asthma, allergies, insomnia, PMS, infertility, menopausal symptoms, irritable bowel syndrome, and dozens more. It is also an excellent way of keeping the body’s energy in balance so that imbalances, and subsequent problems, do not arise.
What might a treatment involve?
At your first visit, we will discuss your health concerns and your health history. Then I will take your pulse and look at your tongue. Since acupuncture is just one branch of Chinese Medicine, your treatment may well include other tools in the Chinese Medical toolbox. Moxibustion might be used to warm and stimulate acupoints. Cupping or gua sha might be used to relax tight muscles or open up congested lungs. Click here to learn more about cupping and gua sha. In addition, we will talk about how lifestyle and dietary changes may help bring you back into balance.
What does it feel like?
Acupuncture needles are approximately as thin as a human hair and insertion is typically painless. You may not feel anything, or you may feel a slight prick as the needles are inserted, followed by a sensations something “plugging in” to your body’s energy. You may experience this as a strong tingle, warmth, or heaviness as the qi is accessed. The needles are generally left in for 20–40 minutes. Most people find acupuncture a very relaxing experience, and it is not uncommon for patients to fall asleep during a treatment. If you are ever uncomfortable for any reason during an acupuncture treatment, please notify your practitioner immediately.
How many treatments are needed?
Most people see some significant change in their condition after coming in weekly for only a handful of treatments (4–6). Of course, the longer a condition has been developing, the longer the course of treatment that may be needed to re-balance or rebuild the body’s energy. After that, tune–up treatments once a season are usually sufficient to keep the body in balance so that symptoms do not recur. Of course, your attitude and willingness to make changes in your diet and lifestyle may play a major role in your healing process.
Is acupuncture safe?
Yes. While there are risks involved in any medical procedure, when administered by a trained acupuncturist, acupuncture is considered very safe. At Life in Balance Acupuncture, only sterile, single–use, disposable needles are used.
Click here to learn about Chinese Herbs.
If you have any additional questions, or to find out how Chinese Medicine can help you, please call the office at 541 757-4868 or email Brodie.