chinese medicine is a complete medical system

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WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?  

Acupuncture Promotes Healing by acting as a catalyst via small electrical signals to achieve homeostasis and balance triggering events in the endocrine, neurological, immune, and autonomic nervous system.  

The stimulation of specific points located on the surface of the skin along energy channels that connect all internal organs through the human body with the head, torso, arms, hands, legs, and feet is one way to describe it. The life energy which flows along the course of the channels is known as Qi (pronounced chee); it’s also understood to be electricity in the body. When the concurrent flow of Qi in the channels becomes unbalanced or blocked, disease, or illness occurs. Stimulation of specific points can help restore the normal balance and flow of Qi so organs and systems can work together again in symphony. This sets the stage for the body to repair itself and maintain its own health.

Improves Circulation

There’s a classic Chinese saying: “If there is free flow, there is no pain; If there is no free flow, there is pain.” Acupuncture uses the electrical energy within the body to increase circulation. Inserting filiform needles into precise acupuncture points will promote circulation, and reduce pain. Color Doppler imaging (CDI) can be used to noninvasively create images of human blood vessels and quantitatively evaluate blood flow in real-time. Zijlstra, Freek J et al. “Anti-inflammatory actions of acupuncture.” Mediators of inflammationvol. 12,2 (2003): 59-69. doi:10.1080/0962935031000114943

Release Blockages

The body can be viewed as a river with dams blocking flow in certain areas. Acupuncture may be used to unblock these “dams” the body has created thus stimulating/increasing organ function and movement.  Anesthesia & Analgesia: February 2007 - Volume 104 - Issue 2 - p 301-307doi: 10.1213/01.ane.0000230622.16367.fb

Decreases Pain

One of the most researched areas of Acupuncture is in the area of pain relief. Acupuncture can act as a tremendous analgesic to relieve pain and interrupt afferent (towards the brain) nerve signaling.  Arch Intern Med. 2012 Oct 22;172(19):1444-53. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2012.3654.

Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation, so prominent in the United States, can easily be measured/monitored. Acupuncture has the unique ability to decrease proteins and pro-inflammatory markers.  Zijlstra, Freek J et al. “Anti-inflammatory actions of acupuncture.” Mediators of inflammationvol. 12,2 (2003): 59-69. doi:10.1080/0962935031000114943

Balances Body Chemistry

Balances biochemical responses via the nervous system by heavily utilizing the body's parasympathetic response to Acupuncture and balancing the autonomic response.  Yang, Jing-Wen et al. “The holistic effects of acupuncture treatment.” Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM vol. 2014 (2014): 739708. doi:10.1155/2014/739708

The Science:

Originating over 3500 years ago, acupuncture remains one of the oldest, most commonly used medical systems of healing in the world today. Science can now begin to explain much of what this ancient tradition of healing understood so many years ago and why it is still effective today after thousands of years of usage.

· Connective tissue winds around the needles, increasing electrical conductivity

· Doppler ultrasound shows that acupuncture increases blood flow and circulation.

· MRI readings demonstrate that acupuncture prompts observable changes in the brain.

Thermal imaging reveals that acupuncture reduces inflammation.