Treatments
Acupuncture is the insertion of sterilized, single use filiform needles just below the skin, into strategic points on the body. The needles are very thin, about the diameter of a single human hair and often patients do not even feel their insertion. The points are located along channels, or meridians, which are located across the body. It is believed that qi (pronounced chi), or the body’s vital energy, flows along these channels. When someone is in pain, or unwell it means that there is a blockage obstructing the flow. A practitioner will pick points that correspond to the patient’s condition to help bring the body back to a state of balance, so that healing can occur. Benefits of acupuncture may include reduction of pain, increased immunity, improved digestion, stress relief, decreased healing time for injuries, regulating female cycles, alleviating painful menstruation, ease with labor and delivery, fertility, reducing fatigue, improving sleep quality, and reduced frequency and intensity of migraines. Acupuncture is contraindicated for those with bleeding disorders or those taking blood thinners.
Acupuncture
Guasha
Guasha is a modality of Chinese medicine where a guasha tool made of wood, porcelain, stone, jade, quartz or other material is used to “scrape” across the surface of the skin. This feels like a massage to many patients and is used to improve circulation and remove fascial adhesions. The benefits of this technique include relieving pain, quicker recovery from colds and healing faster from injuries. Guasha often leaves red or purple marks referred to as petechiae, or sha in Chinese. These marks can take up to about a week to disappear, depending on the severity of the condition.
Cupping is attaching cups often made of glass or plastic to different areas of the body, most commonly along the back. Cupping is used to reduce pain by increasing circulation to an area of the body and breaking up adhesions in the fascia. It is also used to relax tight IT bands, and help the body heal faster after sprains and strains. It often feels similar to a massage and many patients find it relaxing. Cupping frequently leaves circular marks on the area that they were placed, and the skin may be red or purple, but not usually painful and may last for a few days, or up to a week depending on the severity of the condition. This is because it is pulling stagnate blood from old injuries to the surface, so that the body can begin to heal itself.
Cupping
Moxibustion
Moxibustion, or moxa, is the burning of the herb mugwort on specific acupuncture points or areas of the body. There are different ways this modality can be utilized, such as with the herb attached to the end of acupuncture needles, little cones that stick on to the body, or it may be indirect which is burned near the body usually in the form of a stick. Moxa is often used to aid the healing process of injuries, menstrual problems, fertility, fatigue, digestive disorders, pain relief, and immune support.
Chinese herbal medicine is the oldest modality of Traditional Chinese Medicine, whose origins stem back nearly 5,000 years. Practitioners train for years to learn the actions, indications, interactions, dosage, thermal nature preparations, and contraindications of each herb. They customize formulas with different herbs, which is formulated specifically to each patient’s individual needs. Benefits include relieving pain, balancing hormones, regulating menstruation, improving fertility, improving digestive function, regulating bowel movements, improved immunity, improving sleep quality, stress relief, relief from menopausal symptoms and increased energy levels. Herbs are not for everyone and it is important to only take herbs prescribed from a practitioner. It is important to inform your practitioner of all health conditions, medications (including over-the-counter), and supplements that you are currently taking, before taking herbs.