Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into the skin which triggers a biological reaction. Through the stimulation of the needles, the body heals and changes quickly and effectively. CBHC provides traditional Chinese acupuncture as well as western medical (electrical) acupuncture.
According to Chinese Medicine:
Acupuncture influences the movement of qi. Needles are put at strategic places, most often along Channels aka Meridians in order to balance the energy in the body. According to Chinese Medicine, qi has a nature of flowing smoothly, protecting the body, and regulating the up/down and in/out movements that easily occur in a well functioning body. But the free and easy flow of qi can be disrupted and at times the body cannot easily repair this disruption on its own. Acupuncture regulates the flow of qi to balance the many systems of the body, relieving emotional distress, pain, and many other unwanted symptoms.
According to Western Medicine:
Acupuncture influences the nerves and their pathways, blood flow through veins and arteries, trigger points, and the fascial system. The most commonly used acupuncture points are located at places on the body where nerves are easily accessible or at important facial junctions. The free flow of qi throughout the nervous system, blood system, and facial system regulates the functioning of the entire body, including the skeletal system, muscular system, digestive system, urinary system, reproductive system, lymphatic system, endocrine system, and respiratory system.
Acupuncture at CBHC:
In practice, we use a variety of techniques including acupuncture with or without manipulation, and electrical acupuncture. Acupuncture without manipulation is when acupuncture needles are inserted and left to work on their own. This technique is often used with those who find they are sensitive to needling. Electrical acupuncture is an excellent way to treat pain and tension. This type of treatment confuses the nervous system into re-calibrating causing a decrease in the pain signal, and also wears out tension in muscles to increase range of motion, flexibility, and comfort, while decreasing pain. Sensation of the needles with electrical stimulation is generally greater than sensation without electrical stimulation but should not be considered painful. The electrical acupuncture that we do is most often combined with some tuina/shiatsu massage, which helps locate exactly where the problem is and aids in relaxation of the muscles and the mind. This type of treatment can be used for many kinds of pain including traumatic injury, sports injury, age related pain, neuralgic pain (post herpetic neuralgia), and muscle pain. When electrical acupuncture is used results are often seen within one session.
Whether you view acupuncture from the Chinese medicine perspective or western medicine perspective, acupuncture is an amazing way to balance the body and mind, ease pain, and enhance overall well-being.
Acupuncture Helps in Many Ways
Acupuncture treats a wide variety of conditions. It is commonly used to treat all kinds of pain conditions, both acute and chronic, from overuse pain to sports injury to accident rehabilitation. But it can also treat internal conditions such as low immune system, insomnia, digestive disturbances, women’s health (including menstruation problems, menopause, fertility, etc.), and it can help to curb some of the symptoms from allergies and asthma, just to name a few. It is also often used in preventative care to help strengthen the body and stop conditions before they even present symptoms. Think acupuncture might help you?
Cupping
Cupping therapy was popularized after 2016 Summer Olympics when athletes are entering the Olympic stage with cupping marks on their back and went on winning events. However, cupping therapy has a long history in Chinese Medicine. Using suction, cupping moves qi and blood, pulls toxins from the body, and release fascial adhesions. This is especially useful for tight muscles and scarring.
At CBHC, dry cupping is used as needed during a treatment or if requested. Dry cupping is when cups are applied to the skin and some manipulation techniques may be used. We have found that is really beneficial to use at the onset of a cold to pull out the toxins. The bacteria or virus tends to move through the body much faster, letting you get back to your everyday routine quicker. It is also an excellent therapy for muscular adhesions that are too sensitive for electrical acupuncture.
Cupping Marks
The most common side effects is marking, which can look like bruising but is due to a different mechanism. Actually, this is generally the aim of cupping. No one can gauge the degree to which each individual person will mark. Some people have very dark marks and some have lighter ones. These usually go away within 7-10 days. If you are about to be in a situation where these marks might be seen, such as on vacation to a warm place, you can either ask your practitioner to wait to apply the cupping until you get back, or embrace the opportunity to tell the world more about all of the benefits of cupping.