Acupuncture & Related Modalities

Acupuncture 

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. 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. **Electrical Stimulation can treat muscles, joints, and nerve pain.** Ask Caroline if E-Stim is a good choice for you.

 

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. In her practice, Caroline uses static cups (not sliding cups). For safety reasons, Caroline uses sterile, plastic cups. **Cupping is best used on larger areas of the body, such as backs, shoulders, hips and thighs. Fingers, hands, feet, knees are usually not good areas for cupping. If you are fatigued or weak, cupping is probably not a good choice.** Ask Caroline if cupping is a good choice for you.

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"Ouchless" Acupuncture

For those who are afraid of needles, folks who are hypersensitive, and those especially sensitive to energy work, press tacks offer a treatment modality that's less intrusive than regular acupuncture. Press tacks are a teeny tiny piece of metal designed to sit on the skin. Their tails are embedded in plastic, so they aren't going anywhere. An adhesive bandage keeps them in place. Many patients prefer a mix of a few acupuncture needles and tacks.

Gua Sha
When performing gua sha, the therapist uses a smooth-edged tool to repeatedly stroke the skin. Gua means to “rub" or "press stroke”. Sha is a term that describes the blood congestion in surface tissue in areas where the patient may experience stiffness and pain; sha is also the term for the little red dots that are raised from applying gua sha. The benefits of gua sha are numerous. It can benefit any chronic disorder involving pain or inflammation. Gua sha resolves spasms and pain, increases range of motion, and promotes normal circulation to the muscles, connective tissues, and organs. A session of gua sha will often head off an oncoming common cold and can be a huge help in quieting a lingering cough.


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. I 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.


Therapeutic Blood Withdrawal

Bleeding has been practiced as a form of medicine for thousands of years in Asia. Releasing only a few drops of blood can provide an enormous amount of relief for conditions such as nausea, arthritis, sciatica, sprained ankles, and more. Ask Caroline if bleeding is right for you.

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Reiki

Reiki is a healing lineage that came out of Japan. I like to describe it as "acupuncture without needles". The Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and Johns Hopkins report that many benefits of Reiki in the medical setting include: stress and pain relief, decreased need for pain medication, shorter hospital stays, and quicker healing.  

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​Conditions Treated by Acupuncture & Asian Medicine

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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