Treatment
Acupuncture points on
the meridians have very specific uses. For example, if you have a stubborn,
dry cough, there are points for moistening. If you have a productive, hacking
cough with lots of mucus, there are points to help clear the phlegm and
quiet the cough. There are points to help restore the appetite and points
to calm it down when you're ravenously hungry all the time. There are points
to start the menstrual cycle when it is late and points to stop it when
the flow is too heavy. Your acupuncturist is skilled in selecting the right
combination of points for you during each treatment.
Acupuncture needles
are tiny, solid filaments that are inserted in the skin. The needles are
sterile and disposable, just like needles in the doctor's office. But acupuncture
treatment doesn't feel anything like getting an injection. Acupuncturists
are skilled in setting the needles quickly and painlessly. Sometimes it
feels like a quick pinch that rapidly subsides. You may feel a heaviness
or fullness at the points, or spreading warmth, or zinging, as if something
is flowing. The treatment is usually very relaxing. Many patients nap or
rest. Afterward you can expect to feel more energy, less pain, less stress,
and heightened sense of well-being.
Your acupuncturist
will work out a plan with you for the number of treatments you may need,
depending on the severity of your symptoms and how long you have had them.
Colds and flus, that develop quickly over a day or two, can usually be
greatly helped by one or two treatments. Chronic health problems that have
developed over months and years will typically require a longer course
of treatment.
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What
you eat and drink has an enormous impact on your health and on the condition
of your qi. Your acupuncturist can advise you about foods that complement
your treatment. For example, if your body makes too much mucus and you
have a problem like sinusitis or asthma, you may benefit from reducing
dairy and cold or raw foods. Many foods benefit yin and yang and help regulate
qi imbalances.
Herbal
treatments are available today that have been in continuous use for over
two thousand years. In ancient times, herbalists studied at their father's
knee and passed along herbal formulas, or combinations of herbs, reverently
to the next generation. Modern practitioners of Chinese herbal medicine
have studied for years to learn how to prescribe the best combinations
for your specific health problem. Modern herbal pharmaceutical companies
are working to adapt their products for western consumers. Herbs are available
that have been tested for purity and packaged according to FDA regulations.
Generations of patients have been successfully treated with herbs alone
or combined with acupuncture.
