Acupuncture is a form of medicine that has been widely used for thousands of years. This practice has evolved into the placement of very fine, sterile, stainless steel needles at strategic places called acupuncture points, which are found along defined lines called meridians.
Energy, also known as Qi, refers to life force energy and oxygen which flows through the body on channels (meridians), which connect to all of our major organs. Illness arises when the cyclical flow of Qi in the meridians becomes unbalanced or is blocked. We use Qi to move our arms and legs, for our organs to perform their functions of breathing, pumping blood, digesting food, and for our brain to think. Qi is the vital substance that animates and controls the observable functions of living beings.
Acupuncture helps up-regulate the body for self healing by returning the body to a naturally healthy state.
How Acupuncture Points Work
Acupuncture points are supplied by high concentrations of nerve endings and bundles, mast cells (used for immune function), lymph, and capillaries. The points have lower electrical resistance compared with surrounding skin. When stimulated, Acupuncture channels (meridians) show up as a different color than surrounding tissue on photographs taken with infrared imaging.
Each acupuncture point has a specific function, for instance:
- Analgesic points help to relieve and stop pain
- Empirical points treat specific complaints such as a rash, hemorrhoids and jaundice
- Animal studies have shown that acupuncture can alter the release of various hormones
Styles of Acupuncture
Abby practices the following styles of acupuncture:
- Chinese
- Korean
- Balancing methods
- Auricular
- Hara (abdominal) style
- Hand techniques
- Esoteric acupuncture