Oriental Medicine includes a variety of modalities that incorporate the theory of correspondence where the face, the ear, and the hands serve to reflect the entire body. During the course of treatment Ear Acupuncture, Facial Acupuncture of Hand Acupuncture may be applied.
The first session provides an opportunity to gather information about the condition, the history, what makes it better or worse, other therapies that have been used, and identify what the Chinese call, the underlying patterns of imbalance. Your present lifestyle will be considered and recommendations will be suggested as is found appropriate.
Acupuncture is one of the oldest therapies known to man, having been in use for well over two thousand years. Acupuncture is both an Art and a Science forming a complete system of therapy for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of illness.
Over the course of time the Chinese mapped out specific points, which they call ‘men’ (doors) which were found to be consistently electrically sensitive with certain conditions. They found that by stimulating these sensitive points there was a response in the overall system with regard to an improvement in specific conditions of malaise.
Acupuncture therapy consists of the stimulation of designated points on the skin by the insertion of sterile, thin, painless, disposable needles, the application of heat, electrical stimulation, massage, or a combination of these. Through the stimulation of a point or a combination of points this causes a synergistic reaction that unlocks and unblocks the flow of energy called ‘Qi’ (pronounced ‘chee’). The result is an energetic connection along the pathways or meridians within the body that enhances the optimal function and coordination of related organs and their network energy.
Are the needles painful?
The experience of the Acupuncture needles varies from person to person however, most people report a tiny pin-prick feeling, a tingling sensation, a pressure or an electrical sensation. All of these local sensations pass very quickly and give way to a generalized feeling of relaxation. The relaxation of the body and mind are signs of the restoration of balance within the body and the initiation of the healing process.
What is the goal of Acupuncture?
The goal in the use of Acupuncture in treatment is to insure adequate supplies of Qi, Blood, and Fluid moving freely in a cycle – pattern through the system. In this way conditions are established that support the system in its process of self-healing.
Acupuncture supports the body’s innate ability to ‘self-heal’ and is used to support balance in body, mind, and spirit, by insuring an adequate amount of Qi (energy) flowing freely through the sequence of pathways or ‘meridians’ in the body that connect one organ to the next. More than the common interpretation of energy, Qi is the very ‘life-force’ within us. The Chinese define illness as; a lack of Qi, Blood, or Fluid moving freely through the cycle – system causing an imbalance, blockage or obstruction to flow.
Specialty Acupuncture
Auricular Acupuncture
Auricular acupuncture is one of the more widely used microsystems of eastern medicine.
Microsystems use one aspect of the body – for example, the face, ears, hands or feet – to treat conditions that are present anywhere in the body. Auricular acupuncture is often used as a primary modality of treatment and may also be used in conjunction with other treatments such as general acupuncture, and herbal medicine.
Facial Acupuncture
Facial Acupuncture for both men and women, whether it is called facial rejuvenation, acupuncture face-lift or cosmetic acupuncture, the goal is to resolve wrinkles, and release muscle tension that may be causing unsightly lines, and to address systematic conditions that may be affecting both the appearance of one’s face and the optimum function of one’s body. As with regular needling of the body, inserting needles into acupuncture points will stimulate the body’s ‘Qi’ (natural energy) with benefits that reach far deeper than the face.
Electro—Acupuncture
Electro Acupuncture is used by practitioners of traditional
Chinese medicine for a wide variety of conditions. Electro-acupuncture is designed to provide stimulation of a particular set of acupuncture points delivering a consistent frequency over a set period of time. The needles are attached to a device that generates continuous electric pulses using small clips. With these devices , both the frequency and the intensity of the impulse delivered can be adjusted to appropriately address the specific condition. Several pairs of needles can be stimulated simultaneously, usually for no more than 30 minutes at a time.
Micro-current
Micro-current is a gentle therapy that uses extremely low-level electrical currents (micro-currents) to treat nerve and muscle pain, inflammation, and other health challenges. Each tissue type in your body has its own signature electrical frequency, which may be disrupted by injury or disease. Micro-current therapy simply restores normal frequencies within the cells. This restoration of normal frequencies results in remarkable and measurable improvements in pain, inflammation, and in function.
Other tools of Acupuncture
In Chinese Medicine the Acupuncture Therapy consist of more than the insertion of needles. The Chinese have found that additional techniques used to stimulate the points serve to augment the treatment. During the course of a session you may, in addition to the needles, you may experience the use of ‘cupping’, ‘Gua Sha’, and, or ‘Moxibustion’.
Gua Sha is the use of a specific tool to ‘scrape’ the skin. This causes the flow of blood and fluid to the surface and draws with it, toxins. Gua Sha’s broad application serves to stimulate a number of pathways or meridians at once affecting the larger system. In China, Gua Sha is used to prevent disease and to treat chronic problems such as neck & shoulder pain.