Acupuncture:

Acupuncture is just one, probably the best known, treatment modality used by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It involves the insertion of very fine, solid, sterile needles into specific points on the body to influence a persons' energy. Acupuncture points are located along meridians or acupuncture channels. You may think of these meridians as a system of channels that cover and connect the entire body. An analogy would be our earth, that is connected via rivers, streams and other waterways.

Our bodys' meridian system is made up of 12 main acupuncture channels, distributed bilaterally, and a few other, "extra meridians". There are over 365 regular points located along those meridians and numerous "extra" points that are not located on meridians. Relax! Most practitioners only use a handful of acupuncture points during a typical treatment.

Through those channels flows Qi. Qi can be explained as vital energy that sustains life: Qi nourishes the tissues, warms the body, holds the organs in place – to name a few of it's functions. TCM states that as long as there is enough Qi flowing and it flows freely through the channels, there will be balance, there will be health. On the other side of the coin, if the Qi gets blocked there will be pain and at some point “dis”ease will set in. Hence, the function of Acupuncture is to adjust, move and/or build the Qi to affect the flow of energy when a person seeks treatment.