Acupuncture

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture is linked to the belief that disease is caused by disruptions to the flow of energy, or qi, in the body. Acupuncture stimulates points on or under the skin called acupuncture points or acupressure points. The qi then travels all over the body through channels called meridians. When the flow of energy or qi becomes disrupted or blocked, pathology such as mental disturbances, pain, or illness begin to develop. By restoring the flow of qi to an ideal state, we can bring relief to the conditions or symptoms that are intended during treatment. Acupuncture stimulates and restores the correct flow of qi, thereby bringing balance, health and vitality. 

So what does this mean? Coming from a western background myself, I understand that this is may be a foreign concept and unique healthcare alternative option. In other words acupuncture helps the body to heal itself and facilitates homeostasis. For example if you fall down and scrape your knee, all of the many biological steps that are required to heal a wound happen without you having to direct that process. This is  what we can expect in a healthy person. With someone who may be sick or immunocompromised, this process can take longer periods of time or may occur irregularly. This is the goal of acupuncture to prevent this from happening and to  maintain this connection between all parts of the body and mind so that these process can continue. With acupuncture, we are not just looking to fix the problem at hand but to help the body do this itself. During your initial session you can expect to be asked about your stress levels, sleep, dietary intake, emotional, and mental health status. This wider perspective creates a pathway for finding the underlying or root issue, rather than treating a symptom. Traditional Chinese Medicine works by stimulating the already present healing processes within it.