About Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

Chinese medicine has been developed over a period of at least 3,000 years. Principles of Chinese medicine are based on the concept that the physical, spiritual and emotional body are connected, and that a network of energy called Qi flows through all aspects of the body in channels called “meridians”.

Because of its holistic nature, Chinese medicine focuses on a patient’s entire bodily pattern and the presence or absence of harmony between systems and energies in the body. It also focuses on the harmony between the body and the outside environment.  Chinese medicine considers concepts of deficiency and excess, seeking to balance heat and cold, dry and damp, and ultimately, Yin and Yang within the body.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture uses very thin needles to stimulate specific points along meridians.  This stimulation can be directed to unblock energy that is “stuck” or to bring energy into areas that are lacking energy, thus assisting the body to move back into balance.  Other methods used to stimulate acupuncture points include electricity, heat, massage and cupping.

Acupuncture points are believed to stimulate the central nervous system to release chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord and brain. These chemicals either change the experience of pain or release other chemicals, such as hormones, that influence the body’s self-regulating system. The biochemical changes may stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.

Acupuncture is generally considered very safe.  While it is a medical procedure that punctures the skin and underlying tissues, injuries and side effects are very rare and when they do occur, they are usually minor.  All acupuncture needles are, by law, sterile.  At Serenity Natural Health, sterile, one-use, disposable needles are used. 

While acupuncture may be most popular for its effectiveness in alleviating pain, it also helps treat allergies/asthma, fatigue and sleep disorders, arthritis, PMS, digestive disorders, addictions, infertility, fibromyalgia, and much more. The World Health Organization (WHO) now recognizes more than 40 conditions as being treatable by acupuncture.

Chinese Herbal Medicine

Chinese herbal medicine focuses on restoring a balance of energy, body, and spirit to maintain health rather than treating a particular disease or medical condition. Herbs are used with the goal of restoring balance by nourishing the body. 

In China, there are over 3,200 herbs, 300 mineral and animal extracts, and over 400 formulas used. Herbal formulations may consist of several different ingredients, to be taken in the form of teas, powders, pills, tinctures, or syrups.  Each herbal formula is individually constructed according to the patient’s presentation at the time of visit, and modified as symptoms change.