The Basics: What is Acupuncture?

I've been asked to give a description of acupuncture so it will be available for visitors of this blog. The following is from the FAQs on my website: www.acupuncture-sa.com

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a safe and effective natural therapy that is used to heal illnesses, prevent disease and improve well being. Acupuncture therapies are believed to have originated in China approximately five thousand years ago.

As a traditional medical practice, they encompass several treatment methods. The main method is the use of needles to puncture the skin at very specific locations called Acupuncture points. Secondarily, Moxibustion is the application of heat to acupuncture points and is one of the oldest and most effective forms of oriental therapy. There are two different types of moxibustion: direct and indirect. Both direct and indirect methods create heat by burning moxa, an herb derived from drying the leaves of the mugwort plant. The indirect method involves burning moxa on the tip of the acupuncture needle.

Direct moxibustion is applied by using the fingers to roll a small amount of moxa into the size of a half of a grain of rice. This piece is then placed on the skin at an acupuncture point and burned with incense. The result is an quick, penetrating heat that stimulates the acupuncture point without being uncomfortable for the patient.

Direct moxibustion causes an elevation in blood cell counts, especially white blood cells. This strengthens immunity and is effective in reducing pain and inflammation.

Auricular and laser acupuncture, cupping, and ion pumping cords are examples of some of the many supplementary techniques used in acupuncture. The clinical effectiveness of acupuncture therapies is evidenced by their continued and extensive use in modern China, their spread to other Asian countries such as Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, and their more recent arrival in the West where they are weathering the rigorous scrutiny of the Western scientific method and slowly revealing the biological reasons for their effectiveness.

Throughout a long and venerable history, a multitude of acupuncture theories and clinical systems have evolved. In some cases these have retained their original form, and in other cases, they have adapted to the passage of time, transforming under the scrutiny of clinicians and scholars.

At Acupuncture & Natural Healing Therapies, our goal is to provide patients with the most effective techniques, both ancient and modern. If you would like to know more about how acupuncture can benefit your health, please call (210) 204-2305 and schedule a free consultation.