Acupuncture- Ancient Healing Art

Acupuncture is a 3,000 year-old healing technique used as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In 1997, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) recognized acupuncture as a safe and effective treatment for various conditions. Modern research has demonstrated that acupuncture positively affects various body systems, including the nervous, endocrine, immune, cardiovascular, and digestive systems. It improves sleep, digestion and promotes a sense of wellbeing.
TCM believes that the body’s health depends on the balance between two opposing forces: yin and yang. TCM refers to our life force or energy as “Qi” (pronounced “chee”) and believes that Qi flows throughout the body, along specific pathways, referred to as meridians. When Qi flow is hindered or blocked, this leads to energy imbalance and manifests dysfunction, disease, and often pain (emotional and physical).
Acupuncture works by stimulating specific anatomic sites, referred to as acupuncture points, with thin, solid, sterile needles. This stimulation “unblocks” stagnant energy, allowing the body to rebalance or heal itself.
For those steeped in western medical tradition, TCM philosophy may seem farfetched. Still, modern science has been able to prove the anatomical existence of acupuncture points. It has produced plentiful evidence that acupuncture works, not just to treat pain but for multiple disorders and diseases.