Acupuncture is between 2,000 and 5,000 years old. It involves the insertion of very fine single use, sterile needles into specific points, shown as effective in treating various health problems.

Acupuncture is widely accepted as being effective on a wide range of pain problems. However it treats more than just pain.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has classified acupuncture as "Safe and Effective". It is also recognized to be effective on a wide range of other problems by the World Health Organization including the following:

Pain after tooth extraction, earaches, sinus inflammation or dryness, and allergies.

Bronchitis, asthma, cough

Digestive track problems, constipation, diarrhea, inflammation of the colon, and some types of ulcers

Dry eyes, inflammation of the conjunctiva (pink eye)

Headaches, migraines, facial paralysis or nerve pain, partial weakness after a stroke, inflammation of nerve endings, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, sciatica, low back pain, knee pain, arthritis, sprains and strains.

PMS, painful periods, irregular periods, infertility, discharge, sexual function, and menopause symptoms.

It is also know to be effective on internal organ disorders, sleep disorders, stress, skin problems, and many illnesses

The type of acupuncture that I practice is a mixture of Japanese, and Chinese (TCM) styles. I use mostly the very fine Japanese needles, that are almost painless in their insertion. Of all the conditions that I treat, Back Pain is my favorite thing to work on.

I typically needle the patient in 15 to 30 points in a session. Most will have a very shallow insertion; a few of them will go into to a deeper level. A session typically lasts 1¼ hours, and is very relaxing. You do not have to be brave to get acupuncture.

When I work on a patient, I do more than just treat the symptoms that brought them into my office. I evaluate the Whole Person based on the "Eight Principles".

First we decide if this is a problem with it’s origins outside or exterior to the body, or is the problem stemming from an interior dysfunction. Then if the problem is one of an excess condition, or a deficiency. Then I look at whether it is a hot condition or a cold condition. Then if it is a dry or a wet condition.

I evaluate the person by using Pulse Diagnosis, the feeling of the pulse in twelve locations, and feeling up to 28 different qualities in each location; Tongue Diagnosis, looking at the locations of cracks, the colors and coating of the tongue; and analyzing the patterns of symptoms.

I take all this information and combine it with a little bit of intuition, to come up with a Pattern of Disharmony. From here I know how to treat the patient’s individual condition most effectively.

In addition to the needles I will also use other modalities as appropriate, and as time allows during the session. They may include:

Where I burn a large moxa stick of an herb called mugwort. This is held close to certain points to heat them up, and thus activate them and warm the area

I roll up a very very small piece of the mugwort, and stick it directly on the point to be activated. It is then lit using a piece of incense. When it burns down close to the skin and the patient feels a little "zing" from the heat, it is then immediately pinched out.

I take a special herbal oil that I make and rub it into the area with a warm piece of ginger. This relieves trauma, menstrual cramps, inflammation, tight muscles, and more. This treatment feels really good.

Cupping uses suction cups on the skin. There is no pain involved in this treatment, but it often leaves a bruised or discolored area almost like a "hickey", that can last for a few days or so. This is effective in treating very tight muscles, stagnation, and in pulling mucus or toxins out of the lungs or other areas of the body.

Tui-Na is pushing and pulling with the hands, or an oriental form of massage. This is usually deep work that can correct some structural problems. Unlike a chiropractor though who is manipulating the bones, with Tui-Na I use the muscles to pull the structure into proper alignment. This work can be somewhat painful, but the results can be dramatic.

Qi-Gong is an energy exercise that moves and builds "Qi", or energy in the body. It may seem too simple to be doing much, but the benefits of doing it can amaze you.

The herbs, either in tablet, tincture, or tea form, can make changes in a persons basic constitution. There are herbs that make tendon and bone grow stronger, herbs that relieve pain and inflammation, herbs that help you sleep, herbs that dry you out, herbs that make you moist, herbs that give you energy, herbs that calm you down, herbs that raise blood pressure, herbs that lower it, and on and on.

There is a saying that I like though that says;

"There is no such thing as a GOOD HERB".

This means anything that can help you, is moving your body in a certain direction; making it hotter, or colder, dryer or wetter, sending more blood to the head, or guiding excess blood down from the head, etc.

If it helps you by moving you in this way, there will be another person who is already too far in that same direction. In this case the herb that helped you would make them worse. If you took energy herbs while fighting an infection, it would be like putting fertilizer on weeds. Which is why it is so important to analyze the person to be treated by the "Eight Principles.