Acupuncture is a part of a system of comprehensive and holistic medicine referred to as Traditional Chinese Medicine (T.C.M.) Its effectiveness has been validated through thousands of years of empirical results.
Imbalance Causes Disease Chinese Medicine includes the use of herbs, acupuncture, diet, massage, and exercise. The focus these modalities is to help promote a healthy balance in the body. If balance is not maintained, symptoms of illness become apparent. These symptoms may manifest on either the physical, emotional, or mental/spiritual levels.
Assessing The Imbalance There are many diagnostic methods that can be used to diagnose. The assessment may include palpating the radial pulse, abdomen and back. Looking at the shape and color of the tongue. Observing the skin, hair, nails, eyes, face, posture, body type. Asking questions about the quality of sleep, digestion, elimination, and energy. These characteristics are then used as clues to help identify a pattern of disharmony. Instead of focusing on the symptoms and whether they constitute a western disease, the focus is on identifying the imbalance that has generated the symptoms. For example: Western medicine treats all asthmatics pretty much the same - with a combination of broncho-dialators and anti-inflamitories. An acupuncturist would consider asthma to be a symptom. And there would be an effort to identify and correct the underlying disharmony which has caused the symptom to appear. This is a profound difference in methods. Western medicine is focused on managing symptoms. Chinese Medicine is focused on enhancing health as a means of resolving symptoms.
Correcting The Imbalance For thousands of years the Chinese culture has acknowledged the existence of an energetic system that is integral to the physical body. The energy of this system, called chi, is believed to circulate in a very specific manner through meridians or channels, each of which connects to different parts of the body. Along these channels are acupuncture points. After a careful assessment, needles are inserted into the appropriate points to manipulate this energetic system. As the energetic system is balanced a more healthy state is encouraged.
Treatment of Pain Acupuncture provides a powerful method of reducing tension, restoring muscular balance, optimizing function, enhancing performance, and eliminating pain. Chinese medical theory defines pain as “the result of Chi and Blood Stagnation”.Through stimulating acupuncture points in the area of obstruction, and using other points that will influence the area, the blockage is removed, circulation returns to normal, and pain is eliminated. Tension in the body is what blocks circulation.Stress and Injury are the main causes of muscle tension and irritation, resulting in muscular imbalance. This tension blockage needs to be released for the chi and blood to circulate. There are also a number of “pain” disorders which are not primarily due to tension, but are the result of inflammation or disease. These disorders also respond very well to treatment.
Physical Medicine Physical medicine is the branch of medicine that treats biomechanical disorders and injuries.This means physical medicine addresses problems involving the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, discs, joints and soft tissue For these kinds of problems people will often seek treatment from an orthopedist, physical therapist, chiropractor, athletic trainer or a sports medicine specialist.It is important to know that acupuncture is extremely effective in treating these kinds of problems. This is especially true if treatment is administered by an acupuncturist specifically trained to assess and correct them. The art of assessment and treatment is a cultivated skill, which continues to develop over many years.
Sports Medicine Acupuncture® It is important to know that Sports Medicine Acupuncture® is not just for athletes. It is a system of assessment and treatment that can be used to restore function and eliminate pain in anyone experiencing a Physical Medicine problem. However this protocol is especially relevant for the athlete. As postural deviations are corrected and muscular balance is restored performance is enhanced and the likelihood of injury is reduced.