How does Acupuncture work?

Acupuncture is based on the movement of Qi (pronounced “chee”). Qi is the life-giving energy that circulates along channels to all organs of the body and enables them to function. Qi is what animates you, gives you vitality and shows up as the sparkle in your eyes. When the Qi in the body is abundant and flowing freely, you thrive. If your Qi is depleted or obstructed, symptoms--the body's distress signals warning there is a problem--begin to arise. If the underlying problem is not addressed, very likely sooner or later more serious illnesses or disease affecting your physical body, your mental clarity, your sense of joy in living, or your sense of purpose, may show up.

Nature's tendency is to self-correct imbalances in Qi and maintain homeostasis, so we usually recover from most illness or emotional hurt in due course. Symptoms that persist, however, alert us to an imbalance on a deeper level. The acupuncturist looks to the underlying disharmony and focuses treatment on both the root cause and the symptoms brought on by the imbalance.

There are approximately 360 points that acupuncturists use to influence the Qi. This is done with the use of acupuncture needles and/or moxibustion which involves use of the herb artemesia vulgaris smoldered over the point until the patient feels a pleasant warming sensation. Over time, acupuncture treatment rebalances the circulation of Qi to all the organ systems. One impressive advantage of acupuncture is that it is almost completely free of side effects.