Acupuncture & Related Therapies

​Acupuncture Acupuncture Therapy

Acupuncture therapy is a comprehensive healing system from Asia that is at least 2,000 years old. Acupuncture therapy works with the energy, or Qi (pronounced Chee), that flows through the body’s skin, muscles, and organs along pathways called meridians. By stimulating specific points of the meridians, acupuncture directs energy throughout the body’s networks and unblocks the obstructions that cause pain and disharmony. Acupuncture therapies encourage the body to restore its own equilibrium. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs bring your body into a state of homeostasis naturally. They are not addictive and have few side effects. In addition to treating illness, acupuncture therapy also offers a deep sense of relaxation and release.

 

Electrical Stimulation

Electrical stimulation therapy, or e-stim, is performed with a tens unit attached to two or more acupuncture needles. It is similar to the e-stim that is done in physical therapy or chiropractic treatment. The goal of a treatment with e-stim is to invigorate the Qi and blood of the affected area, especially after an injury or trauma. This can promote circulation, relieve pain and excite the muscles and nerves.

 

Cupping

Cupping has been practiced as a form of medicine for thousands of years in such varied locations as China, the Middle East and Africa. Cups are applied to the skin using a vacuum pump. Blood, Qi and lymph from the deeper levels of the body are pulled to the surface where the body is better able to flush out the byproducts of inflammation. Benefits include reduced pain, increased range of motion, and improved sensory mapping. 
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Chinese Herbs
Chinese herbs are an important component in Chinese medicine and help to strengthen the overall effect of the treatment. Herbs can be used for a wide variety of conditions and are a great way to continue your treatment between acupuncture therapy sessions. Herbs can come in raw form, powder or pill/capsule.

Moxa
Moxibustion, or Moxa as it is typically referred to, is another modality of Chinese medicine where dried mugwort (artemesia vulgaris) is burned either on top of an acupuncture needle or close to the skin. Moxa can be prepared in many ways: rolled into nickel-size balls, formed into cones or formed into rice grain-size threads. At Left Hand, we usually use a charcoal, smokeless form of moxa to heat the skin indirectly. The major therapeutic effect of moxa is to generate warmth that penetrates deep into the meridians. This adjunctive therapy can help warm the body, relieve pain, improve circulation, and stimulate the immune system. Most patients enjoy the warmth of moxa therapy during their treatment. The practitioners will take extra care to ensure that burns do not occur while using moxa.
Therapy Treatments

​Conditions Treated by Acupuncture

In 2003, the World Health Organization published a landmark study, titled "Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials". Listed below are various conditions that can be relieved through acupuncture therapy treatments:

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