Acupuncture
Acupuncture: POINTS TO HEALTH
Acupuncture treatments seek to balance energy along specific pathways in the body to maintain or restore harmony in the body’s systems.
Your treatments begin with a short intake during which your practitioner will listen to your issues and go over your intake forms and make an assessment about what needs to be balanced based on the information you give. Every effort will be made to make you comfortable while the needles are working their magic. Everyone is different and treatments may vary depending on the day and person. Sometimes, you’ll have 10 needles in, sometimes 25, maybe more. Our job is to do what it takes to bring your body and energy back into balance. You may feel some needles more strongly than others, and that’s okay. Remember, we’re working with energy and sometimes, in order to tonify and balance, energy needs to be encouraged to “move along” rather than remain stagnant.
Stagnation is the root cause of disease in traditional Chinese medicine, and every effort is taken to eliminate it. Our goal for your is the free flow of energy along your energy pathways (meridians) so you can enjoy harmony and perfect health.
Sometimes accessory treatments may be necessary – cupping or moxibustion – in order to relieve stagnation or to aid the flow of energy. Your practitioner will discuss these options with you as well.
Acupuncture treatments should be more frequent during times of acute discomfort so we can manage the issue and restore harmony to the body’s systemic flow. During times of relative health, acupuncture is best used to maintain good flow of energy on a regular basis. Talk to your practitioner and you can decide what suits your needs best.
ELECTRO ACUPUNCTURE
What is it?
Electro acupuncture is similar to acupuncture, a widely practiced form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Acupuncture involves the use of thin needles to stimulate specific pressure points linked to unwanted symptoms.
In standard acupuncture, one needle is used at each treatment point. Electro acupuncture is a modified form that uses two needles.
A mild electric current passes between these needles during treatment. This current generally applies more stimulation to acupoints than needle twirling or other hand manipulation techniques an acupuncturist might use.
Read on to learn more about electroacupuncture, including how it’s done and the research behind it.
What do people use it for?
People use electro acupuncture to address a range of symptoms and health issues, including:
- Sciatica
- arthritis
- pain
- stress
- tinnitus
How does it work?
In TCM, your health depends on the flow of qi (vital energy) in your body. This energy travels along invisible pathways, known as meridians. These are found throughout your body.
Qi is believed to help keep your body in balance and promote its natural ability to heal itself. A blocked or disrupted flow of qi can negatively impact physical and emotional well-being.
That’s where electro acupuncture comes in. It stimulates the points linked to your symptoms to help restart the flow of qi. Two needles are placed around the point while a machine delivers an electrical impulse to them.
Electro acupuncture is intended to help increase the potential healing effects of standard acupuncture.
What happens during a session?
Electro acupuncture is done by an acupuncturist. Here’s what a session might look like:
Your acupuncturist will evaluate your symptoms and select points for treatment.
They’ll insert a needle at the treatment point and another needle nearby.
Once the needles are inserted to the correct depth, your acupuncturist will use electrodes to connect the needles to a special electro acupuncture machine.
After the electrodes are attached, they’ll turn on the machine. Electro acupuncture machines have adjustable current and voltage settings. Low voltages and frequencies will be used at first, though your acupuncturist may adjust the frequency and voltage of the current during treatment.
The electric current pulsates, alternating between the two needles.
A typical session might last between 10 and 20 minutes.
