Acupuncture is the most well known aspect of Chinese Medicine and may be used alone or in conjunction with herbal medicine, moxibustion (the heating of specific acupuncture points using the herb Artemisia), or tui na (Chinese massage). It is likely that the acupuncture practitioner will also offer dietary and lifestyle advice or suggest a course of exercise.
Each of the organs of the body has its own associated channel or pathway of energy. These are often referred to as meridians. Very fine needles are inserted into points along the meridians with the aim of bringing the body to a point of balance and harmony. Every aspect of the patient’s life is considered by the practitioner before the points are selected – sometimes it may be impossible to change someone’s life circumstance, but by using Acupuncture the person may be strengthened so that they are more easily able to deal with what life brings their way.
A visit to an Acupuncturist will usually take up to an hour, with the needles being left in place for 20-25 minutes of that time. Very often people go into a state of deep relaxation whilst the needles are in place and many drift off into a brief but sound sleep. Acupuncture is widely known for its effectiveness in treating musculo-skeletal injuries but has traditionally been used extensively in the treatment of respiratory, digestive, gynaecological and many other chronic conditions.