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Acupuncture


A treatment is based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and involves the insertion of hair-thin needles into specific areas of the face, ears, neck, hands, trunk, and legs along channels or meridians of “life-force” energy referred to as Qi (pronounced Chee). 


Acupuncture is one of the oldest, most commonly used forms of medicine in the world. Originating in China more than 2,500 years ago, acupuncture is currently one of the most thoroughly researched, practiced, and respected forms of complementary medicine available anywhere.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, your overall health is determined by the quality of the Qi (energy) flow through the natural pathways of your body (meridians). Acupuncture uses a variety of techniques, including placing very thin sterile needles into specific points on the body, to stimulate and improve your Qi flow. The many benefits of acupuncture include:


  • Pain reduction
  • Stress and tension relief
  • Increased energy levels
  • Increased immune functions
  • Stronger digestion
  • Relief from bad habits and addictions
  • Greater sense of overall health and well-being

Is Acupuncture painful or relaxing?

Acupuncture bears no resemblance to the feeling of receiving an injection, since the main source of pain from injections is the larger diameter, hollow needle and the medication being forced into the tissue by pressure.  Acupuncture needles (“pins”) are very fine and flexible, about the diameter of a human hair.  In most cases, you may feel a sense of tingling, heaviness, numbness, or warmth in the area.  Most people find the treatments to be very relaxing and many even fall asleep during treatment.

All acupuncture needles are manufactured under the strictest guidelines, and are completely sterile.  They are used only once and are disposed of immediately.  

To increase the relaxation experience or to reduce anxiety before a first treatment (when people new to acupuncture haven't yet experienced the gentleness of the treatment), practice deep breathing:  while lying prone, place one hand on your chest and one hand below your navel; proper relaxing breathing results in the abdominal hand rising and falling while the chest hand remains fairly still.  Breathing should be slow so that one can count to at least four (even ten) during each inhalation and exhalation.  If you tend to be a shallow breather (neither hand moving much) or a chest breather, or if you tend to hold your breath when nervous, the fight-or-flight response will be further heightened increasing the anxiety (and possibly the sensitivity to the needles as muscles will also be unconsciously tightened in a defensive manner and the "protective qi" will rise to the surface of the skin making skin more sensitive).  Abdominal breathing relaxes the nervous system and the mind.  

Mindful QiGong deep breathing is also a great method for remaining relaxed while dealing with rush hour traffic!!!


What is an Acupuncture session like?


After filling out a questionnaire about your overall health, the practitioner will ask you questions that may seem unrelated to the reason you are there, but the answers help to develop a more complete picture of your health and form the basis to the Oriental medicine diagnosis.  The practitioner will look at your tongue, and take your pulse at both of your wrists to further refine this diagnosis.  Then, depending on the treatment, you may be asked to lay face up or face down, the pins (tiny needles) will be inserted according to the diagnosis.  Many of the points are below the elbows and below the knees, and if the need arises to get undressed, you will be fully draped to keep you warm and protect your modesty.  There may be times that a liniment, a heat lamp, or moxa (mugwort) may be used to heat a region or point.  While pins are usually left in between 15 and 25 minutes, there may be times where that will vary.  Sessions will probably vary as your condition changes and improves.

Acupressure

Acupressure is based on one the most ancient principles of healing — that simply touching a specific point on the body will release stress and improve health in the body. In an acupressure session, I apply firm pressure directly to these "points" on your body, which relieves your muscle tension and improves your circulation. This simple and powerful technique has been shown to very effective in treating headaches, backaches, and even insomnia.

Auriculotherapy

Auriculotherapy, or ear acupuncture, is the practice of stimulating specific parts in the ear via the autonomic nervous system to treat the nervous system for addictions (food, smoking, narcotic), pain and dysfunction in the body using precise acupuncture points of the ear. Ear acupuncture can be an inexpensive option to enjoy the benefits of acupuncture without needing a full diagnosis or to alternate with full acupuncture sessions.



Contact us

to schedule your

30 minute "Stress Buster"

or

15 minute Auricular-to-Go

session


There are a few extensions of auriculotherapy commonly used today.  Modern technology provides acupuncturists with tools that (1) help detect the points most out of balance and (2) offer the option of stimulating the point with mild-to-moderate electrical pulse rather than needling the point.


Acupuncturists may choose to attach "ear seeds" or "ear press needles" to a few points. Either a tiny 1mm needle or a round seed/bead will be attached to the ear with a tiny bandaid, which can be worn for 3-5 days. The earseeds are to each be stimulated several times a day by gently pressing it for about 30 seconds.


Lea does not use the "staple" ear tacks due to the increased risk of infection with these stapled in tacks. Earseeds are Lea's usual choice for a new client.

Electro-Acupuncture

Electroacupuncture is a highly effective holistic treatment for pain, nausea, and chronic ailments. In practice, it is actually very similar to traditional acupuncture. Using the exact same system of Chinese Medicine, I insert very thin and sterile needles into specific points along the meridians of your body. I then attach the needles to a device that delivers gentle electrical pulses between two points. This helps restore the healthy flow of Qi (energy) through your body, removing any blockages and clearing out stagnant areas, thus creating a stronger and clearer experience of health and well-being.