Acupuncture sessions generally consist of an intake period (where we talk about your medical history and the history and quality of your chief complaint), a brief exam and then the needles will be inserted for about 20 to 30 minutes. After that I will decide if you need massage or other work done for your condition. It is highly customized because no two treatments are ever the same.
Please download the forms and bring them in with you - you will need to put some thought into them. It is much better to do them when you can have past medical records, medications and dates in front of you for accurate information.
Acupuncture is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world. Acupuncture started by using bone and stone on certain points to elicit change in the the body. Originating in China more than 2,000 years ago, acupuncture gained the attention of the American public after President Nixon's trip to China in 1972.
Acupuncture in America
James Reston was a New York Times reporter traveling with Nixon and received acupuncture in China after undergoing an emergency appendectomy. He was so impressed with the procedure's ability to relieve his postoperative pain that he wrote about his experience upon returning to the United States.
Acupuncture was given recognition for the medical world in 1997, when the National Institutes of Health issued a statement documenting its safety and efficacy for a range of health conditions. According to NIH, "acupuncture is effective in adult post-operative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting and in post-operative dental pain. There are other situations such as addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and asthma where acupuncture may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative or be included in a comprehensive management program."
Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into specific points on the body. These points have specific actions. Depending on the combination of points and the way the needles are manipulated will bring about certain changes in the body. The body is mapped out into channels much like the nervous system mapping.
Pain patterns are looked at according to which channels are affected. Points are selected based on the overall picture of the health of a patient to determine underlying weaknesses or excesses. No two people are the same, in much the same way you are never exactly the same from day to day.
Acupuncture has been proven to increase levels of endorphins. Experiments with acupuncture have shown that there are higher levels of endorphins in cerebrospinal fluid following acupuncture. Endorphin, abbreviated from "endogenous morphine," is an endogenous opiate produced naturally in the body.
Endorphins are renowned worldwide as anti-stress hormones that relieve pain naturally. It has been confirmed that endorphins have both neurological and spinous effects. Among the various functions of endorphins are its capabilities to enhance the immune system, improve blood circulation, control pain and ward off the effects of aging.
The "runner's high" is experienced after working out because of a surge in the blood-endorphin level. A "high" of endorpins can mask pain. When endorphins are low, people feel more anxious and are more aware of pain. When the enodorphin levels are low, there is an increased appetite for fat and fatty foods and chocolate because it gives them pleasure and they notice a mood change.
Increased endorphin production has been shown to affect the release of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone and lower stress hormones responsible for infertility. Patients undergoing IVF therapy are increasingly combining acupuncture treatments with the conventional medical procedures to increase the success rate of the IVF procedure.
Another important role of acupuncture has been in the treatment of substance abuse. It is widely used in detoxification programs in the United State and worldwide. Substances such as morphine and heroin stimulate activity at cell receptors normally stimulated by endorphins. Once the substances are withdrawn, the body must once again begin manufacturing the supplanted endogenous opioids, which is in part responsible for the painful withdrawal symptoms. Acupuncture is said to relieve withdrawal symptoms by triggering the body to produce more endorphins, thus bringing it back to equilibrium.
An advantage of the acupuncture-endorphins theory is that it fits the Western medical model and doctors understanding the long term effects of acupuncture versus drugs. A 1998 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, for example, showed that medical doctors refer their patients to acupuncturists. Treating headaches, PMS, arthritis, ulcers, insomnia, depression, and more with acupuncture are steadily increasing.
Acupuncture needles are smooth, solid are not much thicker than a single strand of hair. Some people may feel a slight sensation upon the insertion of the needle into precise acupuncture points, but this is brief. These sterile needles are only used once and then thrown away.
Typically, people are deeply relaxed during an acupuncture session, and many fall asleep. Acupuncture stimulates your body's natural healing processes helping your body to heal itself. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners believe that acupuncture stimulates the flow of energy forces that nourish tissues, stimulate blood flow and enhance the body's systems.
Acupuncture works in a variety of ways to deal with side effects of treatment and regaining strength and immunity.
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Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into specific points on the body. These points have specific actions. Depending on the combination of points and the way the needles are manipulated will bring about certain changes in the body. The body is mapped out into channels much like the nervous system mapping. 
The "runner's high" is experienced after working out because of a surge in the blood-endorphin level. A "high" of endorpins can mask pain. When endorphins are low, people feel more anxious and are more aware of pain. When the enodorphin levels are low, there is an increased appetite for fat and fatty foods and chocolate because it gives them pleasure and they notice a mood change.
