At its broadest level, acupuncture is the practice of inserting very fine needles at specific points on a patient’s body to help facilitate the body’s process of healing or provide symptomatic relief.
The points targeted by acupuncture are known pathways of energy leading to or from different organs in the body. When blockages form on these pathways, the body’s energy is unable to flow freely. This can lead to illness and unnecessary sensitivities or conditions that prevent you from living life to the fullest.
Acupuncture is known to treat effectively a wide variety of illnesses from headaches, colds and allergies to severely debilitating conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and cerebral palsy. It can be as effective on mental afflictions like addictions and depression as on internal issues like asthma and ulcers. Acupuncture is often enlisted for relief of pain, whether for tendonitis, menstrual cramps or back pain. In essence, acupuncture can address nearly every illness and health condition.
How Acupuncture Works
One reason for acupuncture’s prolific effectiveness in treating and healing different health conditions is that it addresses the needs of the individual, not the disease.
To understand this, it’s helpful to contrast it with Western medicine. Most Western doctors will prescribe the same treatments or surgeries for all patients suffering from the same disease. However, acupuncture takes the view that even though two people may be displaying the exact same symptoms, they may be rooted in different causes.
Acupuncture seeks to remove obstacles to health by re-balancing the energy flow of the entire body, alleviating illnesses and pain. During your visits with your acupuncturist, Ashley Dunn, A.P., C.H. will be observing clues to what may be causing your problem and will administer treatment accordingly (what to expect in treatment).
A Gentle, Effective Approach to Acupuncture
Several different theories and types of practice exist in the acupuncture industry. Ashley Dunn, A.P., C.H. has developed a gentle—yet powerful—system of acupuncture therapy drawing from several different styles, particularly Toyohari. Originating in Japan but with a theoretical foundation based on Chinese medicine, the Toyohari style is a refined art requiring extreme sensitivity to energies—to the extent that many original practitioners were even blind! This sensitivity is continually honed and cultivated through the years by the practitioner, who may even provide treatment without insertion (by concentrating energy when bringing the needles close to the surface of the skin).
Not Everyone is a Good Candidate for Acupuncture Treatment
While acupuncture is capable of treating nearly every illness, not every patient will respond to treatment. The reason for this is that acupuncture relies on the cooperation of the patient—a willingness to observe and work with one’s own body that may be beyond reach for some.
Many people have become numb to what their bodies may be trying to tell them. It’s no wonder, with today’s lifestyle demands! But if you really want to get well, acupuncture can help you tune in to what your body is asking of you. Acupuncture is 10% the physician’s effort and 90% effort by the patient.
Acupuncture as Part of Your Wellness Plan
Acupuncture provides a solid foundation for an ongoing plan for overall health and wellness, as treatments will always evolve according to the needs of the patient. It may be used in conjunction with Western medicine or as a primary treatment method. Acupuncture is often combined with homeopathic therapies or herbal supplements in our practice. While some conditions like a cold may respond within a few treatments, other illnesses, especially serious long-term conditions, may require several months or years of acupuncture treatment to bring about recovery
(what to expect in treatment).
Contact us at our Lake City or Gainesville acupuncture medical centres for more information about how acupuncture can help you overcome your obstacles to optimal health.