What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is used to promote the body’s remarkable self-healing abilities. An acupuncture treatment involves the insertion and manipulation of flexible, hair-thin needles at specific points on the body, utilizing the nervous system network along the fascial plane, where your energy resides.
Acupuncture allows the body to return to its natural state of balance and harmony.
Many patients find the sensations produced by acupuncture treatment to be a deeply relaxing, meditative experience both mentally and physically, and it is not uncommon for patients to fall asleep during this time.
Origins of Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been studied, further developed and ceaselessly researched while being used to effectively treat and prevent conditions for thousands of years.
The initial discovery of acupuncture took place in East Asia, where illnesses are treated in a holistic manner that considers the impact of mental and emotional stress. Based on this holistic approach, we examine illness from the perspective that stress causes disharmony and eventually imbalance, which disrupts a person’s ability to effectively deal with stress. Over time, this weakens their ability to prevent and heal from illness, as we are all designed to naturally do.
Acupuncture is only one method of treatment that exists within a wide scope of practices beneath the ancient system of East Asian medicine.
Why Acupuncture?
When it comes to our health, even though many of us are aware of our basic biology, most of us don’t think much about the parts of ourselves we don’t see—our emotions, energy levels, thoughts and even our cells are, for the most part, invisible to us during our day-to-day lives, yet we would never deny their existence.
Our energy, similar to the blood in our vessels, travels along a specific pathway called a channel, or meridian. This energy, though it moves along this channel without us perceiving it most of the time, can be experienced during an acupuncture session.
How Acupuncture is Administered
Using very fine, hair-thin and single-use surgical, stainless steel needles on specific points along the body, we are able to restore that balance and correct the disharmony.
The needles, once inserted, act as conductors for this micro-current, re-establishing the connection required to keep harmony and balance to our circulatory, nervous, endocrine and organ systems. This restores the body and promotes our natural ability to heal ourselves. With acupuncture, we can effectively prevent illness before it happens.
The acupuncture points chosen will depend on your condition, but you can expect five to 20 needles. Once the needles are inserted and you begin to feel relaxed, you will be able to lie comfortably with the needles in place. Your practitioner will come check on you during your session and this will be done quietly as to not disturb you.
While resting with the needles, your body relaxes over the warmth of a BioMat, which empowers the circulatory system to increase and improve movement of blood, lymph and nutrients through the body.
The needles used during acupuncture are different from any other type of medical instrument. They are fine and flexible and are usually inserted without any initial sensation.
Once your energy is successfully conducted by the insertion of the needle, people report experiencing a sense of heaviness, numbness or electric stimulation at the needle site, or along the accompanying portion of the acupuncture channel being stimulated. Because these sensations are new, they can cause mild discomfort at first, still patients often find the treatments to be quite relaxing.
How many treatments?
The benefits of acupuncture are cumulative and occur exponentially, so more then one treatment is necessary. For acute, or short-term conditions, you can expect to have four to 10 treatments, but you will usually begin to feel relief after your first session.
Chronic conditions may take longer to respond to treatment, depending on the type, severity and duration of the condition. Preventative treatments and those for general well-being may also be scheduled on an as-needed basis.
Our goal at Be Well Holistic Care is exactly the same as your goal. We want you to feel better as soon as possible. Your body will inform us of how often treatment is needed, and will set the pace for your maintenance.
Is Acupuncture Safe?
Yes.
Acupuncture is used by millions of Americans every year.
Licensed acupuncturists must first earn a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies and Master of Science in Oriental Medicine. During this time, they must undergo an extensive didactic and immersive clinical education program including the study of human anatomy and physiology, the biology and blood chemistry of a healthy human, and what changes take place when various pathologies appear and interrupt body systems. Both pharmacological and intensive herbal medical study are required as well as the successful acquiring of a certification in Clean Needle Technique.
Practitioners at Be Well Holistic Care have passed all four comprehensive national board examinations administered by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and are licensed by the state of Florida as Primary Health Care Providers under Chapter 457 of the Regulation of Professions and Occupations in the Florida Statutes. As required by law, we use pre-sterilized, disposable, single-use needles to ensure your complete safety.