Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient modality of health care founded by the Chinese culture thousands of years ago.  It involves inserting very thin needles into the body, along certain points that are particular to a patient's individual symptoms.  The acupuncture points are along regular and extraordinary channels on the body, which actually correlate to many modern medicine pathways for nerves and blood vessels.

Western medicine's perspective of how acupuncture works: increasing the circulation of lymph and blood, inducing of endorphins, as well as stimulating the nerve pathways.  This promotion and stimuli helps to alleviate inflammation faster, decreases the time of the healing process, and can boost energy and immunity. 
Note: The longer a condition has been present, the longer it will take to see improvement.

Based on the theory of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the needles are thought to stimulate Qi (pronounced "chee"), which can be described as energy, or the body's life force.  Pain is thought to be caused primarily by a blockage of this energy, and/or a deficiency/excess.

How long does it take until I will notice results from acupuncture?

Chronic conditions are difficult to treat, whether its acupuncture or Western medicine.  It is wise to keep in perspective, that the longer you have had the injury, the longer it will take to see results.  It is encouraged that patients come to at least a minimum of 6 consecutive treatments (1 time per week for 6 weeks or 2 times a week for 3) before evaluating their results and deciding in what time frame and type of treatment is still needed.  However, this is very dependent upon your condition and how your body responds.  There are those who only need a couple treatments.

Does acupuncture hurt?  What will I feel during the treatment and how long does it last?

The needles that are used in modern acupuncture are very fine, almost hair like in flexibility, allowing for very limited feeling upon insertion.  Sometimes patients may feel a tiny prick or slight pressure when the needle is inserted, but many would not classify it as "painful".  Once the needles are in, it is normal to feel a heavy, dull ache sensation, but it should never be painful.  The needles are usually retained for approximately 20-30 minutes, depending on the condition.  The overall treatment session can last from 45 minutes to a hour, with initial consultations lasting a hour and a half.

Are the needles sterile and do you reuse them?

All acupuncture needles are sterilized and in sealed packaging, and the brands that I use are from Japan, because they have stricter health regulations then China  An insertion tube is always used to insert the needles, to prevent contamination once the package is opened.  Acupuncture needles ARE NEVER reused.  They are considered a bio-hazard and are properly discarded with a professional disposal service.

National and International Acupuncture Resources:

NCCAOM: National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

CCAOM: Council of College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

ACAOM: Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

NADA: National Acupuncture Detoxification Association

NCCAM: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Division of the National Insitute of Health

WHO: World Health Organization, Traditional Medicine