FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What is
Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a 3000 year old medical model. There is a saying in
Chinese "Tong bi Tong" Where there is pain, there is no free flow, where there is free flow, there is no pain." Acupuncture,
very simplistically put, is about the smooth/free flow/movement of qi, blood and lymph. In Chinese texts those are always
spoken about in a triumverate. There are meridians that traverse the entire body from head to foot, from foot to head.
from hand to torso, from torso to hand. Every meridian correlates to an organ system and every organ system has a yin
and a yang pair ie: Stomach and Spleen, Liver and Gallbladder etc. Every meridian (path, channel) has points along the meridian
or pseubos where qi pools. These pseubos are where the needles are inserted. The needles are inserted to do one
of two things; either draw energy to that potential deficient point or to ask a blockage or excess of energy to
dissipate or move on its merry way. Through needling we are attempting to re-establish homeostasis in the body. Thus
bringing the body back to a balanced way of being.
What can be treated with Acupuncture?
The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture's effectivesness for over 40 common disorders
including:
Circulatory Issues
Ear, Nose,Throat Disorders
Gastrointestinal Issues
Gynecological Disorders
Muskuloskeletal
Issues
Psychoemotional & Neurological Disorders
Respiratory
Disorders
Urogenital Disorders
Is Acupuncture Safe?
The Standard of Education
in this Country is a Three year Masters of Science in Acupuncture. Upon successful graduation , sitting for national boards
as well as licensing with the state is required. The exception is the state of California, where Eastern medicine is
on par with Western medicine, therefore a little more education is required resulting in a Doctorate of Oriental Medicine.
Acupuncture, when performed by a competent trained licensed professional practitioner, is extremely safe. Acupuncturists
use individually packaged sterilized filliform needles. For use only once and then they must be disposed of in a bio hazardous
container. Practitioners are required to go through "clean needle technique" a standard set up and regulated
by OSHA.
How Many Treatments are Needed?
There are a number
of considerations that come into play when determining treatment. Practitioners must always consider the patients age,
over all health status, any prhamaceuticals that the patient is or has been taking long term, the length of time that a patient has been living with the issue, 3 months and beyond is chronic. In my clinical experience somewhere
between 3 to 6 treatments there begins to be a shift in what has been and is going on. For some patients it's treatment
2 or 3 and some patients it is treatment 6. From there sometimes we need to sort out what is appropriate for the patient
to stabilize and perhaps figure out what "maintenance" might be for them. In conjunction with acupuncture other
suggestions might be dietary modifications, exercise or stretching regimines, relaxation techniques, massage or incorporation
of herbs or supplements.