What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a safe, effective, and drug-free therapy that can address a wide variety of common ailments and problems. Acupuncture originated in China over 2,000 years ago and is presently used as a primary health care system throughout the world. It is a method of balancing and building the body's life force or energy known as Qi (pronounced chee). Acupuncturists recognize and work with pathways called 'meridians' through which this energy circulates.
How does acupuncture work?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views disease as the result of an imbalance or blockage in the body's natural energy flow. Such imbalance manifests in physical, emotional, and psychosomatic stress-related disorders. Very thin, sterile, stainless steel needles are inserted into specific points along meridians in order to disperse the blockage and mobilize the body's natural immune response.
Is there a difference in Chinese and Japanese treatment styles?
Yes. The first recorded text on Chinese Medicine is roughly 2000 years old. This volume, The Yellow Emperor's Canon of Medicine, states that in order for a treatment to be effective 'the arrival of qi must occur.' The core difference between Chinese and Japanese treatment styles comes from interpretation of this statement. In China, the interpretation is taken to mean that the patient must feel the Qi. Conversely, in Japan it is thought that the practitioner is meant to feel the Qi arrive.
Although both styles of treatment are effective, the difference of interpretation means that those treated by Japanese style of acupuncture typically feel the needles less and experience less discomfort throughout the treatment than would be felt with the Chinese approach.
