What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of healing in the world. It began in China and has a clinical history of more than 2,500 years.  It remains an important source of medical treatment in Asian and is one of the fastest growing health care professions in the United States.

What is Oriental medicine?

Oriental medicine, also referred to as Traditional Chinese Medicine, is a complete medical system that is used to assess and treat illness, prevent disease and improve overall health and well being. Acupuncture is an important component of Oriental Medicine, as in Chinese Herbology. Other aspects include Moxibustion, cupping, Asian bodywork such as Tui na or Shitasu, dietary modifications, and exercises such as Tai Qi and Qi gong.

How does acupuncture and Oriental medicine work?

Human being possess a complex bioelectric system. This understanding has been the foundation for Oriental medicine for several thousand years. Energy, also know as 'Qi' (pronounced "chee"), circulates throughout the body along well-defined, well-documented pathways. Points on the body along these pathways are energetically connected to specific organs and body systems. If this energy circulation is disrupted, optimum function is affected and this results in pain or illness.  In acupuncture treatments, points are stimulated with needles to balance the flow of energy, which exercises such as tai ji chuan and qi gong also influence the flow of qi and thus, a person's overall health.

Is acupuncture effective?

According to a 1997 National Institutes of Health Consensus Conference, clinical studies have shown that acupuncture is helpful in treating nausea caused by surgical anesthesia and cancer chemotherapy, dental pain after surgery, addiction, headaches, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia,  myofascial  pain, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, asthma, and to assist in stroke rehabilitation. The World Health Organization lists more than 40 conditions for which acupuncture may be used.

Are acupuncture and Oriental medicine accepted in America?

Yes, and growing more so. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) conducted a survey in 2003 and found nearly 1 and 10 adults (nearly 20 million people) in the United States have received acupuncture and 60% said that they would readily consider acupuncture as a treatment option. In addition, one in five of the total survey respondents report that they had utilized some other form of Oriental medicine besides acupuncture, such as herbs or body work (e.g. shiatsu).

 The Food and Drug Administration estimated in May 1993 that there were 9 the 12 million patient visits each year for acupuncture. the 1997 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Conference on Acupuncture stated, "The data in support of acupuncture is as strong as those for many accepted Western medical therapies. One of the advantages of acupuncture is that the incidence of adverse effects is substantially lower than that of many drugs or other accepted medical procedures used for the same conditions."

Does it hurt?

Depending on the area of the body which is being treated most people do not experience any discomfort.   Many people report not even feeling the needles being inserted. 

Are the needles sterilized?

All acupuncturists are required to complete a clean needle technique course in order to become board certified.  We use single use pre-sterilized needles only, which are discarded at the end of the session.