Acupuncture is perhaps the best known of all Complementary or Alternative therapies. This ancient Chinese medical system uses the careful insertion of fine, sterile needles into specific points of the body that control the flow of “Qi” energy. Relatively painless, the experience often results in sensations of heaviness, tingling, or warmth in the area of insertion as the flow of Qi increases. Increased balance in Qi flow throughout the body can help relieve symptoms including pain, reproductive and aging challenges, mind-body imbalances and immune system disorders.
Acupuncture originated in China over 3,000 years ago. Since the 1970s, when China opened up to the West, the system has increased in popularity to address a wide array of ailments.
From a Western medical perspective, many double-blind randomized studies have been conducted using acupuncture, with resulting theories about how the mechanisms of Chinese medicine work. From a neuroendocrine perspective, acupuncture stimulates peripheral nerves in the skin, which relay messages to the brain, creating a cascade of physiological effects such as the blocking of pain receptors (the gate control theory of pain) and the increased release of neurotransmitters such as beta-endorphins, met-enkephalin and seratonin, all of which are effective in blocking pain. Recently, researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey used functional MRI to prove that acupuncture decreased brain activity correlated with lowered pain perception in volunteers.
Another theory about how acupuncture works is called Local Mediation: due to the concentration of nerve endings, certain cells, and vessels located at acupoints, a relatively large integrated response occurs when patients are needled. This launches a cascade of enzymatic, chemical and vaso-active changes that play a role in the proven results of acupuncture.
Your practitioner will begin the session by discussing your health concerns and health history, look at any of your relevant labs or imaging reports and perform any orthopedic testing needed. We will also examine your tongue and feel your radial wrist pulses. Examination of the tongue and pulse are among the principal diagnostic methods in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The color, shape and coating of the tongue provide information about the body that informs the diagnosis. Similarly, pulses relate to the internal organs and have several characteristics to evaluate your physical condition.
Once your practitioner makes a diagnosis, a treatment will be designed specifically to correct your pattern of imbalance. Acupuncture will be part of your ongoing treatment plan—including lifestyle changes, exercise, diet, and self-care—to help you stay healthy.