Acupuncture The Art of Healing with Needles
What is Acupuncture? Strategic placement of needles to stimulate acupoints on meridians to restore proper flow of Qi and Blood and balance of Yin and Yang to cure disease.
Let s Talk TCVM Ancient Chinese Medicine ~3000 years ago Western Modified Chinese Medicine Development of Meridians Adapted from humans and horses
Learning the Language Qi (Chi) Life force within the body where there is qi there is life Needs to be full, flowing, and communicating to have life without disease Blood Contains and circulates Qi Nourishes and moistens body Meridian Pathways through which Qi and Blood flow and communicate within the body Governs it s own system; all systems connect Stagnation Lack of flow; causes pain and disease Qi is carried by the blood and moves along meridians.
Yin and Yang Under heaven all can see beauty as beauty only because there is ugliness. All can know good as good only because there is evil. Therefore having and not having arise together. Difficult and easy complement each other. Long and short contrast each other; High and low rest upon each other; Voice and sound harmonize each other; Front and back follow one another. --Lao Tsu, Two of Tao Te Ching
Yin Yang Theory Yin and Yang Theory Explanation for natural phenomena Yin Cold Female Night Dark Blood Liver Yang Warm Male Day Light Qi Gallbladder
Meridians Body Systems Lung/ Large Intestine Spleen/Stomach Heart/Small intestine Pericardium/Triple Heater Liver/ Gallbladder Kidney/ Urinary Bladder
Circadian Flow of Qi 2 hour increments
Flow of Qi
Five Element Theory Five Elements Earth Worry GI and Mouth Metal Grief/Sadness Lung and skin Water Fear Kidney and Bone Wood Anger Liver and Eyes Fire Joy Heart and Speech Liver Kidney Heart Lung Spleen
TCVM Diagnosis History, history, history! Physical exam Pulse Tongue Organ system Deficiency or Excess Interior or Exterior Cold or Hot Damp or Dry
Eye
Ears
Nose
Lung
Large Intestine
Stomach
Spleen
Heart
Small Intestine
Bladder
Kidney
Pericardium
The Triple Heater
Gall Bladder
Liver
The Du Channel
The Ren Channel (Conception Vessel)
What is Acupuncture? Strategic placement of needles to stimulate acupoints on meridians to restore proper flow of Qi and Blood and balance of Yin and Yang to cure disease.
What is an acupoint? Shu Xue Shu= transporting, or communicating Xue= depression or hole In Western terms Acupoints are: Nerve endings Small blood vessels Lymphatics
How does it work? Needles are placed at specific/strategic points on the meridian(s) to open the flow of Qi. 3 primary effects of acupuncture 1- Nervous System Stimulation 2- Immune regulation 3- Reproductive/Hormonal regulation Dis-ease or malfunction of all organ/organ system/body/mind/soul is considered to be due to lack of energy flow due to deficiency stagnation, or excess.
Analogy of the channels/meridians being equivalent of aqueducts carrying water to crops. Over time for any number of reasons soil/sand/dirt begins to flow into the channels blocking the flow of water. If there is a difficult flow of water, plants will dry up and die on all sides where water has built up due to lack of flow. The blockage creates a stagnation or excess and the standing water drowns the plants
We come in with a shovel (our acupuncture needles) to dig out the soil and reopen the channel to free the flow of Qi and reestablish function. From a conventional perspective, needling stimulates numerous neural hormonal releases for healing in all body systems: neural, endocrine & immune.
How does it work? Nerve Stimulation Pain control Immune Regulation Antiinflammatory Hormonal Regulation Balancing
Nerve Stimulation Pain control Stimulating an acupoint quiets nerve fibers that carry the chronic pain sensation De Qi Endorphin release Serotonin release Endogenous opioid release Muscle relaxation and relief of spasm
Immune Regulation Anti-inflammatory Micro-inflammation of vessels antiinflammatory mediators and cells to resolve inflammation Increases WBC titer
Hormonal Regulation Balancing Blood pressure regulation Vasodilation Stress relief Endorphins and serotonin Fertility Sex hormones and cycles
Who can benefit?
Types of Acupuncture Dry needle Electro Aqua Laser
What can it be used for? Pain control OA DJD Injury Neuropathy IVDD/FCE Ataxia/Primary brain lesions Immune Mediated Conditions/ Support Allergies Cancer IBD/Colitis/Megacolon
What can it be used for? Behavior Anxiety and fear Endocrinopathies Cushing s Disease Thyroid disease Just about everything! Multimodal therapy Pairs nicely with Chinese herbal therapy 80% success rate with combined approach Use with surgery and medication when indicated
How often should it be done? Typically takes 3-5 sessions before we can see physical changes Weekly for 3-5 weeks then decrease as needed Does depend on condition
To Recap What is it and how does it work? Strategic placement of needles to balance the body and restore health Who does it benefit? Everyone! Which conditions can it help? Everything! But don t ignore modern medicine! How often? Relief, healing, and maintenance stages
References www.lieske.com
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Questions?