Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a method of encouraging the body to promote natural healing. Originating in China over 3,000 years ago, traditional acupuncture is the oldest continually practiced system in the world. Acupuncture has been endorsed by the World Health Organization of the United Nations and is used by nearly one-third of the world as a primary health care system. The fundamental principles of acupuncture are to treat the person as an integrated whole, addressing body/mind/spirit, and to identify and remedy the root cause of disease.
What Does Acupuncture Do and How Does It Work?
Acupuncture is based on the movement of Qi (pronounced "Chee"). Qi is the life-force that circulates along well-defined channels, called meridians, to all the organs in the body and enables them to function.
Qi is what animates us, gives us vitality, and shines the sparkle in our eyes. When Qi in the body is abundant and flowing freely, our health is cultivated. If Qi is depleted or obstructed, we become susceptible to diseases affecting our physical body, mental clarity, our joy in life, and our sense purpose. The tendency of nature within us is to correct any imbalances of Qi and maintain homeostasis; thus, we usually recover from illness or emotional hurt in due course. Symptoms that persist alert us to an imbalance on a deeper level. The traditional acupuncturist looks to the underlying disharmony and focuses the treatment on both the root cause and the symptoms of the imbalance.
Acupuncture points are stimulated when Qi is deficient or dispersed when it is congested, thereby returning to balance and harmony of the circulation of Qi to all the organ systems. This is accomplished with the use of acupuncture “needles” and/or moxibustion. An acupuncture “needle” is a sterile, thin filament, the thickness of a hair, which the acupuncturist places on an acupuncture points to move the Qi that lies on or just under the surface of the skin. Sometimes an acupuncture point is treated with moxibustion, a process in which a dried, wool-like herb is allowed to smolder over the area until the patient reports feeling a pleasant warming sensation. Moxibustion is used to warm and strengthen a person's life force.
What Can I Expect From Treatment?
The treatments are a time for your concerns to be heard and understood in the context of your particular life situation. Your medical and family history, life situation, lifestyle and information from a physical examination and pulse diagnosis all are taken into account. Your acupuncturist will look and listen with you to see how you view your life and what changes you hope to occur. What goals do you have for your health?
Your acupuncturist then explores and determines the underlying energetic causes of your concern or symptom by considering you in your entirety: your 
physical body, mental functioning, emotional stability, life habits, and your spirit or vitality for life. This holistic evaluation is important because even though two people may suffer the same complaint, the energetic imbalance, which is causing the trouble, is almost certainly different for individuals. When the acupuncturist is able to diagnose and remedy the underlying cause, the symptoms often disappear because they are no longer necessary or perpetuated by the imbalance. Once Qi circulates appropriately in strength and quality, you will experience more equilibrium and resilience.
Initially treatments are generally scheduled once a week. As you begin to feel better, and issues are resolved, the time between visits is gradually extended. For maintaining health, check-ups at the change of seasons provide an opportunity to correct minor imbalances.
In addition to treating your primary concerns, people receiving acupuncture often report side benefits of treatments such as: increased energy and vitality, more restorative sleep, healthier appetite, more enjoyment of life, better handling of stressful situations and so on.
Who Goes to an Acupuncturist?
People from all walks of life use acupuncture for many different reasons. Acupuncture is applicable to a wide range of conditions and complements western medical approaches. Energetic imbalances can manifest in many ways in a person. For example, some people may simply feel “off” physically or emotionally. Some may have symptoms for which no clear cause can be found or for which there is no relief from the treatments being offered. Some patients use acupuncture for adjunctive support to their necessary prescribed treatment by their traditional doctors, to help cope with side effects and to restore vitality. Thus, acupuncture may be helpful whether you have a major health concern or are in good health and want to facilitate your own personal growth.Do I Have to Believe In Acupuncture For It to Work?
No. A positive attitude toward wellness may reinforce the effects of the treatment received, just as a negative attitude might hinder the effects of acupuncture or any other treatment. A neutral attitude, such as “I don't know if I really believe in this,” will not block treatment results.What Is Medical Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a very old medical art, and there are many approaches to learning and practicing it. Medical acupuncture is the term used to describe acupuncture performed by a doctor trained and licensed in Western medicine.Is Acupuncture Covered By Health Insurance?
Some insurance companies currently cover acupuncture cost, other companies do not yet recognize the value of acupuncture. Each health policy must be reviewed to determine acupuncture benefits.
The Quakertown Wellness Acupuncturists are Sally Laux and Debra Rose.
