Acupuncture
If you have Flash installed, click to view gallery.
- Restores health & improves energy
- Relieves acute & chronic pain
- Helps with insomnia (sleeplessness)
- Assists withdrawal from addictions & dependencies
Practised for over 2,500 years in China where it originated, acupuncture is part of the holistic system of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which views health as a constantly changing flow of energy, or Qi (pronounced "chi"). In TCM imbalances in this natural flow of energy are thought to result in disease. Acupuncture aims to restore health by improving the flow of Qi, which flows through the body via 14 primary meridians or channels.
To strengthen the flow of Qi, or remove blockages in the meridians, an acupuncturist inserts a number of tiny, sterile, flexible needles just under the skin at certain specific points (called acupoints) along the meridians, which are associated with specific internal organs or organ systems. The needles may be left in for 15 to 40 minutes and sometimes used with moxibustion, which is burning herbs (primarily mugwort) near acupoints, to hasten healing.
On your first visit a detailed medical history is taken, followed by pulse diagnosis, physical examination, including the chest, abdomen, skin and tongue.
Your practitioner will explain to you his understanding of your condition and treatment schedule. During acupuncture treatment one may experience sensation such as tingling or pins and needles, feeling numbness or nothing at all. Most find the sessions relaxing, and many fall asleep during or immediately after treatment.