September 29, 2015
I’m talking about Acupuncture!! Yes, Acupuncture! I have been a practitioner of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine for about 6 years now, and instead of Does it work, the most common question people ask is….. “Does it hurt?” It doesn’t hurt! Sometimes you feel nothing. Sometimes you feel something. It might be a sensation of hot, cold, buzzing, warm, zingy, etc…. but hurt? Nah! If there is a sensation of discomfort you should tell your practitioner right away. There is a slim chance that the needle hit a tiny hair follicle, or better yet, the stimulation from the needle could have awoken the body from a state numbness. Now, the body has gained feeling again – a giant leap in the healing process! What is Acupuncture? Acupuncture is an alternative medicine that addresses the body as a whole to treat the root of the disease. It is a great option to consider for many ailments and as a preventative modality for colds, flus, and allergies, for example. For a complete list of diseases and disorders that can be treated with acupuncture click here. Although, not commonly considered, acupuncture is also a great option for children. It can be applied to kids of all ages, including babies with colic, toddlers with ear infections, school aged children with difficulty concentrating, and teenagers with acne or depression. It is commonly used to treat anxiety, insomnia, asthma, colds, and coughs. When specifically treating children, I refer to the needles as “taps” so they do not associate acupuncture needles with the hypodermic needles used in vaccination shots. The word “taps” doesn’t sound scary, the word “needle” can be alarming for a child. Acupuncture, along with its accessory techniques which include, moxa, guasha, and cupping, help guide the body in the healing process. The body is truly amazing and does have the capability to heal itself, sometimes it just needs a little boost in the right direction. The acupuncture points get stimulated with needles or other non-needle techniques. That stimulation can release stuck energy, allowing the meridians (channels) to open, and help the flow of qi (chee) run smoothly through the body. When the energy of the body is in its flow, the body is in it’s optimal state, and healing can obtained. It is magical! This concept of guided self healing strongly resonates with me! How empowering to think this and to know this! A simple example is when kids fall down riding bikes and get road rash on their knees and elbows. The body will heal this. A band-aid will definitely help with the tears, but the cut will heal on it’s own. Or broken bones? The body can heal this too! YOUR BODY IS AMAZING!! Believe it!
So, how does the energy get stuck?
There are many different reasons energy gets stuck in the body. Each time we interact with someone, we exchange energy with them. If we hold on to other people’s energy in our body it causes our own energy to get blocked. Chinese medicine says that emotions, environmental conditions including excessive heat, excessive cold, wind, damp and dryness, parasites, diet, and trauma can cause the qi, and therefore the blood, to stagnate.
In my experience, emotions are the biggest player when it involves acute and chronic disease. Whether it be anger, sadness, guilt, jealousy, or worry, the body feels the “emotion” and then holds onto it (rather than letting it go), it gets stuck in the body and thus the result = disease.
Acupuncture and its accessory techniques, if indicated, will bring the body back into a state of balance and harmony. When treating the “root” of the disease it can solve many of the “branch” symptoms. So, it turns out that when you’re seeking treatment for one symptom, many other symptoms that you may or may not be aware of, are healed as well.
Ahhh…..doesn’t it feel good just thinking about it?
