Traditional Acupuncture
What Is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is an age-old healing practice of traditional East Asian Medicine in which thin needles are placed at specific points in the body. It’s primarily used to improving energy(Chi) flow to relieve pain and various medical conditions, such as common cold, stomach ache, headache, allergies or hormone issues.
More than 3 million Americans use acupuncture, but it is even more popular in other countries. In France, for example, one in five people has tried acupuncture.
How Acupuncture Works
Acupuncture seeks to release the flow of the body’s vital energy or “chi” by stimulating points along 14 energy pathways. Scientists say the needles cause the body to release endorphins — natural painkillers — and may boost blood flow and change brain activity.
Does Acupuncture Hurt?
Acupuncture needles are very thin, and most people feel no pain or very little pain when they are inserted. They often say they feel energized or relaxed after the treatment. However, the needles can cause temporary soreness.
Cupping
Cupping therapy is in which by putting special cups on the skin for a few minutes to create suction by using a rubber pump to create the vacuum inside the cup
Purpose and usage including to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow and relaxation. We use it mostly for muscular pain, and also for other disorders mainly by blood stagnation;
The British Cupping Society says that cupping therapy is used to treat:
- Blood disorders such as anemia and hemophilia
- Rheumatic diseases such as arthritis and fibromyalgia
- Fertility and gynecological disorders
- Skin problems such as eczema and acne
- High blood pressure
- Migraines
- Anxiety and depression
- Bronchial congestion caused by allergies and asthma
- Varicose veins
Types of cupping : Dry cupping, Wet cupping
- Dry cupping: just suction for few minutes
- Wet cupping: uses a small scalpel to make light, tiny puncture(s) on your skin. Next, suction to draw out a small quantity of blood. Wet cupping is usually very effective for muscular pain by removing harmful substances and toxins from the local tissues to lower the pain and promote healing.
Known Side Effects
Cupping is fairly safe, as long as trained health professional. But could have these side effects in the area where the cups touch the skin:
- Mild discomfort for up to couple of days,
- Bruises for up to 10 days,
- Skin infection—to prevent it, we use only disposable cups and
disposable scalpels.
Moxabustion
Moxibustion is a traditional East Asian Medicine technique that involves the burning of mugwort, a small, spongy herb, to facilitate healing. The purpose of moxibustion is to strengthen the blood, stimulate the flow of qi, and maintain general health.
Types of moxibustion : Direct and Indirect.
Direct moxibustion: a small, size of a rice moxa is placed on top of an acupuncture point and burned. This may lead to localized scarring, blisters and scarring after healing.
Indirect moxibustion: Currently the more popular form of care because there is a much lower risk of pain or burning. In indirect moxibustion, there is about half inch gap between skin touch area and moxa area to prevent the skin burning, placing it onto the skin for couple of minutes.
Another form of indirect moxibustion uses both acupuncture needles and moxa. A needle inserted into an acupoint then the tip of the needle isn wrapped in moxa and ignited.
What is moxibustion used for?
Moxibustion is used on people who have a cold or stagnant condition. A landmark study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998 found that up to 75% of women suffering from breech presentations before childbirth had fetuses that rotated to the normal position after receiving moxibustion at an acupuncture point on the Bladder meridian. Other studies have shown that moxibustion increases the movement of the fetus in pregnant women, and may reduce the symptoms of menstrual cramps when used in conjunction with traditional acupuncture.
Why do acupuncturists use mugwort? Why not use some other herb?
Mugwort, also known as artemesia vulgaris, has a long history of use in folk medicine. Research has shown that it acts as an emmenagogue that is, an agent that increases blood circulation to the pelvic area and uterus and stimulates menstruation. This could explain its use in treating breech births and menstrual cramps.
Are there any precautions I should be aware of?
Although moxibustion has been safely used for centuries, it should not be used on anyone too much heat. Burning moxa also produces a great deal of smoke and a pungent odor. Patients with respiratory problems may request that their practitioner use smokeless moxa sticks as an alternative.
Laser Acupuncture
Laser acupuncture is a form of acupuncture stimulation which has proven to be a safe effective alternative to standard acupuncture treatment.
Biologically, the laser bio-stimulation will increase the cell production in connective, tendonous, and cartilaginous tissue.
Effects
- Growth factor response within cells and tissues.
- Pain relief as a result of increased endorphin and serotonin release.
- Increased lymphatic activity and strengthening of the immune system response.
- Stimulation of acupuncture points, increased collagen and ATP production, increased circulation.
Effective Area
According to our own experience, it is effective for tissues in shallow depth like wrist, hand, finger, ankle, foot and face.
Tui Na
(To be updated)