what is acupuncture?
Traditional Acupuncture is a healing art and science which teaches us to see the entire human being in body, mind and spirit, how to recognize the process of health and illness, and how to restore the body to health. Chinese medicine believes there is a life force called Qi (energy), and that this life force flows within us in a harmonious, balanced way. This harmony and balance is health. If the life force is not flowing properly, then there is disharmony and imbalance. This is illness.
Usually we know we are ill via a symptom which acts as a signal of distress. We may have a headache, an ulcer, depression, arthritis, insomnia, or other complaints. Chinese medicine believes that these symptoms are caused by stagnation in the flow of Qi (energy). We could say that the symptom is the trouble in itself and try to eliminate it, but from the perspective of traditional acupuncture this would be like covering up a flashing generator light in your car when all it's doing is indicating trouble.
A comprehensive examination is performed utilizing the diagnostic tools of Chinese medicine to assess the condition of Qi, and to identify the root cause of illness. These tools take into consideration everything about a person; the sound of the voice, complexion, predominant emotion, temperature and texture of the skin, posture, childhood history, favorite tastes, best and worst times of day, dreams, appetite and diet, sleep patterns, bowels, sexual energy, habits & hobbies, level of stress at home and work, etc. This information is important in order to make an accurate diagnosis of a person's illness. Important tools in this process are pulse and tongue diagnosis. Each organ is associated with a pulse and other facets of life: an emotion, a taste, a color, a time of day, a season, an odor, a sound, a sense organ, a body orifice, a pathway where the Qi flows. This means that a person who has an imbalance in the flow of the Qi that controls the Kidneys may also have symptoms such as a craving for salt, an excess of fear, a preference for or intense dislike of the color blue, a lack of will power, ear troubles, dislike of cold weather, sexual inadequacy, pain in the joints, lower back pain, knee pain. Each organ has its correlations.
Acupuncture restores order and balance to the Qi enabling it to flow without obstruction, so that the body, mind, and spirit can heal itself. Traditional acupuncture treats the person, not the disease.
Usually we know we are ill via a symptom which acts as a signal of distress. We may have a headache, an ulcer, depression, arthritis, insomnia, or other complaints. Chinese medicine believes that these symptoms are caused by stagnation in the flow of Qi (energy). We could say that the symptom is the trouble in itself and try to eliminate it, but from the perspective of traditional acupuncture this would be like covering up a flashing generator light in your car when all it's doing is indicating trouble.
A comprehensive examination is performed utilizing the diagnostic tools of Chinese medicine to assess the condition of Qi, and to identify the root cause of illness. These tools take into consideration everything about a person; the sound of the voice, complexion, predominant emotion, temperature and texture of the skin, posture, childhood history, favorite tastes, best and worst times of day, dreams, appetite and diet, sleep patterns, bowels, sexual energy, habits & hobbies, level of stress at home and work, etc. This information is important in order to make an accurate diagnosis of a person's illness. Important tools in this process are pulse and tongue diagnosis. Each organ is associated with a pulse and other facets of life: an emotion, a taste, a color, a time of day, a season, an odor, a sound, a sense organ, a body orifice, a pathway where the Qi flows. This means that a person who has an imbalance in the flow of the Qi that controls the Kidneys may also have symptoms such as a craving for salt, an excess of fear, a preference for or intense dislike of the color blue, a lack of will power, ear troubles, dislike of cold weather, sexual inadequacy, pain in the joints, lower back pain, knee pain. Each organ has its correlations.
Acupuncture restores order and balance to the Qi enabling it to flow without obstruction, so that the body, mind, and spirit can heal itself. Traditional acupuncture treats the person, not the disease.
