Acupuncture Vancouver
Learn About Acupuncture
Pain
Pain is a system in your body that warns you if something is wrong. In today's society, most people will try to cover up the pain by either ignoring it or taking drugs to dull it. By doing this, the source of the pain will never go away. Pain can also be felt at points of the body that are a distance away from the originating disorder. For instance, a toothache can be felt in the ear because they share the same sensory nerve. This is called referred pain.
Pain threshold vary greatly from person to person. Often times, distress, anxiety and fear will heighten pain. For example a patient may feel more pain when they feel an unexplained pain, but it may feel less severe when a diagnosis is made.
What can you do? It is possible to try to let your body recover on its own through bed rest, but this can have the potential to delay recovery or even make the problem worse. Another choice is to take drugs to dull the pain; however, this does not solve the problem that is causing the pain and drugs may also have unwanted side effects. Surgery is also a possibility, but it is a drastic one. Your body will have to recovery from the operation and there may be pain from the incision. On top of this, surgery itself is risky. Some studies suggest that surgery is very similar to the placebo effect.
Acupuncture is an option that is reliable, safe, effective and a natural way to eliminate the problem and pain. Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) acknowledge the benefits of acupuncture as a useful treatment for pain due to a wide number of causes. Furthermore, acupuncture works for the entire person, body and mind at the same time. It's a medical system that has had thousands of years of practice and it is safe and gentle with no side effects.
Acupuncturists understand that Qi, the energy of life flows through the 14 major meridians in our bodies. The meridians carries this energy to parts of our body, nourishing each part. A blockage in a meridian can cause pain. The acupuncturist uses needles to unblock meridians to let the energy flow freely. Acupuncture not only treats symptoms, it uncovers the source of pain and corrects it so your body can begin to heal on deeper levels.
Allergies
It is estimated that 50 percent of the people in the world suffer from allergies. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) understands that allergies stem from imbalances in the meridian and organ systems of the body. These imbalances can be caused by a variety of factors including stress, poor diet, weakness, environmental toxins and pollutants. If the imbalance persists in the body, it can affect the quantity and quality of Wei Qi. Wei Qi is similar to the Western concept of the immune system. It helps protect the body against invaders that can lead to colds and allergies. Our bodies require an abundance of Wei Qi to remain healthy. When the supply become inadequate, we become vulnerable. Acupuncture and TCM can facilitate in the build up of Wei Qi help the smooth flow of it through our the meridians.
Allergy Elimination Technique (NAET) is a drugless, painless way to treat your allergies. This method uses energy manipulation through acupressure or massage devices. It can be used safe and effectively on all ages. Sessions range from 20min to 35min and the number of sessions depends on your number of specific allergies or severity. Allergens which affect the immune system and may overlap with specific allergens are cleared first, then other specific allergens are cleared based on the individual patient. Furthermore, certain acupoint on energy pathways on the body can be stimulated to balance the nervous system, which brings the body to homeostasis. When this is performed in the presence of a specific allergen, allergic reactions to this substance will not occur in the future.
Depression
Prolonged feelings of sadness, discouragement and hopelessness can significantly affect our lives. Most of us have at one time or another experienced a degree of depression. Usually, we are able to recover on our own, but sometimes these feeling may persist. Many who suffer from prolonged depression, turn to drugs. Unfortunately, the top antidepressant drugs only deal with the signs and symptoms of depression and also cause a variety of side effects: insomnia, anxiety, listlessness, fatigue, rash, tremors, facial tics, diarrhea, loss of appetite and sexual dysfunction. In Chinese medicine, your liver is associated with your emotional state and digestion. Anger, alcohol, drug use and poor diet can affect your liver's function, thus affecting your state of mind.
Acupuncture and TCM address both the symptoms and causes of depression. Acupuncturists realize that depression is linked to the mind and the body. When Qi becomes blocked, depression can be the result. Using acupuncture, the acupuncturist is able to eliminate the blockage; thus removing the underlying cause of depression.
Menopause
Menopause is a natural part of a woman's life. Many Western treatments today only tackle the symptoms and signs of menopause. Chinese medicine understands that these symptoms and signs are only indications that an imbalance exists inside the body. When women reach menopause their bodies' chemistry is shifting. In Chinese medicine, estrogen is similar to what
acupuncturists call Jing. Jing is given to us by our parents at the time of our conception. It powers all our life functions. When it is in abundance, we can adapt more easily to sickness and change. When we age, we begin to lose our Jing. When it declines our bodies become unbalanced and show signs such as graying hair, loss of libido, backache and fatigue.
Another cause of menopause is the slowing of the flow of Yin. Yin is similar to the cooling system of the body. When Yin declines, it leads to hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, heart palpitations and insomnia.
In some occasions, Yang energies decline instead of Yin. Yang, is the opposite and represents the warming and metabolizing functions of the body. Unbalanced Yang can lead to water retention, weight gain, edema, indigestion, hypertension or raised cholesterol levels. If untreated, imbalance of Jing, Yin or Yang can lead to menopause.
Once an acupuncturist discovers which organ system is out of balance, they can prescribe various natural therapies such as acupuncture, herbs or diet.
Quit smoking
These days many people are trying to quit smoking, but a large number fail. Acupuncture can help you have a better chance at success. There are many reasons to quit smoking and most experts would agree that quitting is the most important thing you can do for your health. Cancer of the lungs, bladder, mouth, larynx, pharynx, esophagus, pancreas, kidney, uterus and cervix are reason alone to quit. However, it's sometimes still hard to quit due to the stress, anxiety and depression associated with quitting. Acupuncture can help by suppressing nicotine cravings and also stimulate the healing and repair of damaged organ systems.
Facelifts
Unknown to most, acupuncture can also be a safe, effective and natural way to reduce the signs of aging. Acupuncture works by improving muscle tone in the face and neck while also treating imbalances that contribute to the signs of aging. Wrinkles form internally from an imbalance of Qi. As we get older, Qi has a harder time flowing upwards towards our faces, causing an imbalance to occur, followed by wrinkles. Acupuncture can strengthen these pathways towards the face to allow more Qi to flow to the face.
IBS
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a disorder in which the intestines lose their ability to move their contents efficiently. Symptoms can include abdominal pain, headaches, fatigue, depression, anxiety, bloating, diarrhea and/or constipation.
TCM understands that the spleen is the organ that controls digestion and assimilation of food. The spleen must be properly cared for because it produces Qi. Poor eating habits can easily affect the spleen. A weak spleen cannot break down food efficiently and "Dampness" occurs. Dampness occurs when undigested food sits in your stomach. Dampness may rise to your head, causing headaches and a sense of fogginess. If prolonged, dampness can sink downward and leads to bloating, fullness and loose stools.
The liver is also concerned with IBS. In Chinese medicine, your liver is associated with your emotional state and digestion. Anger, alcohol, drug use and poor diet can affect your liver's function. If this occurs, your liver overflows with energy and effectively attacks the spleen. This can therefore lead to IBS.
Another cause of IBS could be an imbalance in Yang in the kidney. Kidney Yang energy warms the spleen to aid in digestion. If your kidney is compromised, you will experience early-morning diarrhea, bladder incontinence, cold limbs, weak knees and sore back.
