Questions about Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine

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Acupuncture  is the insertion of fine, sterile needles at specific acupoints along  meridian pathways. This safe and painless insertion of the needles can  unblock the obstruction and balance Qi where it has become unbalanced.  Once this is done, Qi can freely circulate throughout the body,  providing adequate nourishment to cells, organs, glands, tissues and  muscles. This can eliminate pain and restore balance and harmony as well  as the body's ability to heal itself-ultimately leading to optimal  health and well-being. 

 At  the core of this ancient medicine is the philosophy  that Qi  (pronounced "chee"), or vital energy, flows throughout the body. Qi  animates the body and  protects it from illness, pain and disease. A  person's  health is influenced by the quality, quantity and  balance of  Qi. Qi flows through specific pathways  called meridians. There are  fourteen main meridians  inside the body and each are connected to  specific  organs and glands. Meridian pathways are like rivers  flowing  inside the body. Where a river flows, it  transports life-giving water  that provides nourishment  to the land, plants and people. Similarly,  where meridian pathways flow, they bring life-giving Qi that provides  nourishment to every cell, organ, gland, tissue and muscle in the body.  Blockage of the flow of Qi can be detrimental to a person's health and  leads to various signs and symptoms or health concerns. 

 Chinese  Herbs can help with the simplest of issues to very serious  conditions. After diagnosing a pattern of disharmony and administering  acupuncture treatments, a doctor of TCM often writes an herbal formula  from over a thousand common herbal formulas or from more effective  traditional family formulas.
Adverse effects to Chinese Herbs are extremely rare and are negligible  when compared to those commonly produced by pharmaceutical drugs. 

During  the initial exam a full health history is taken.  Questions are asked  regarding health, symptoms  and lifestyle. An appropriate physical exam  may be  conducted including a pulse and tongue evaluation.  Gathering  this information enables the practitioner  to effectively diagnose and  detect any specific  imbalances of Qi that may have contributed to a   person's health problems. The practitioner can then  create a  well-structured treatment plan.