History:     Acupuncture is the oldest established medical science and its principles of patient care have remained unaltered for thousands of years. The first record of Acupuncture Principles are found in a book written about 2,500 years ago from sources over 4,000 years old. The book is called Huan Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine). It is said this book is the oldest medical textbook in the world. From its teachings, we learn of a system of vital energy that Ancient Chinese Wisdom grew aware of and named Qi (pronounced Ch'i). Disharmony of Qi will affect spiritual, emotional, mental, and the physical aspects of the body. The acupuncturist works to restore your Qi to a natural and healthy level of circulation. These last four thousand years, Acupuncturists have developed extremely successful ways of applying their principles to each individual case. A majority of the medical research is case studies because acupuncture understands each person is unique and needs treatment tailored specifically to his or her life.

Methods:     Acupuncture adjusts functions of energy (Qi) to aim towards an ailment cure or correction. This is done by stimulating certain points on the body that are directly connected to the flow of Qi. Your Qi flows along channels called Meridians, and the acupuncture points are places where the Meridian comes close to the surface of the skin making it easily accessible to stimulation. There are various ways of influencing the flow of Qi at these points. The most common is called Needling, which is not a painful experience. The acupuncturist uses hair-thin needles to puncture the upper layers of skin and bring attention to that area. There is an exact science to how the needle is entered, at what angle the needle is entered, what happens to the needle while it penetrates, how long the needle stays on the point, and how the needle is removed. Besides needling, the acupuncturist may choose to apply heat at these points, called Moxibustion. Acupressure is also an option, which means using finger pressure on the acupuncture point. Sometimes application of mild electrical stimulation is also used in treatment.