Acupuncture is a branch of traditional Chinese medicine and is a safe and effective way to naturally bring balance back to the body and mind helping to alleviate numerous ailments, from pain management to infertility. In fact, The world Health Organization recognizes many conditions that can be treated with acupuncture.

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Traditional Asian medicine dates back to over 3,000 years as a primary health care system in China. Now, acupuncture is used as a primary treatment modality in Asia, Europe and most recently, the U.S. It may be used in integration with western treatments for chronic conditions as well as a preventative measure that enhances health, strengthens the immune system, and restores balance to your daily life.  Most patients experience no pain and instead discover that it is extremely relaxing as it can release deep tension and give an overall sense of well being.

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FAQ's

What's involved in a treatment

Traditional Asian medicine is a holistic medicine that tailors individual treatments to individual needs. An in-depth intake is taken at the beginning of the first treatment to ensure a better understanding of your needs and to formulate a treatment plan that is designed specific for you.

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• Needle insertion. Very fine 'hair like' sterile single use needles are used and inserted at various points in the body. This procedure is very safe and has been used for centuries.

• This treatment is mostly pain free and counter-intuitively extremely relaxing.

• The needles stay is for about 20 to 30 minutes and most people fall asleep. An overall treatment is about an hour long.

After the procedure

Some people feel relaxed and you may feel an overall sense of well being. Some people feel a very healthy energy after an acupuncture treatment. You should notice some change to symptom duration or severity after the first treatment, however some pathologies may require a couple treatments before a difference is noticeable.  A very small percentage of the population may not respond to acupuncture

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Does acupuncture hurt?

Acupuncture is mostly completely pain free because the needles are so small 'hair like'. Sometimes a mild achiness or heavy feeling may felt around the needle. This is a type of activation energy that is called 'Da Qi'.

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How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture works deep in the body to facilitate the flow of Qi which increases metabolic, vascular and lymphatic flow bringing focused healing to the areas that need it.  This is like an overall internal deep breath that helps to instill a deep sense of relaxation.  In doing this it also works to relax muscles and other connective tissues. Although it can be described as having a non-specific overall effect, many systems have been found to show marked improvement.

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Results include but not limited to: Better cardiovascular flow, better nerve conduction, hormone secretion regulation, decreased inflammation and regulation of pain signaling, and regulation of the stress response.

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How many treatments will I need?

This varies from person to person and is dependent on factors such as the history of the illness or pathology and the response of each person to acupuncture.I find it is best to keep an ongoing open discussion with the patient to evaluate improvements. You could only need 1 to 2 treatments for an acute condition, where chronic conditions usually require a more visits to bring things back into a manageable point. Sometimes maintenance treatments are needed which is also variable depending on the condition

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Risks

The risks of acupuncture are low if you have a competent, certified acupuncture practitioner using sterile needles. Common side effects include soreness and minor bleeding and very rarely, bruising where the needles were inserted.