About Acupuncture

Acupuncture and moxibustion is a traditional form of medicine. It regulates the flow of energy, blood, and body fluids to cure illness and improve health. Thin needles are inserted into specific points on the energetic pathways, or meridians, to restore the patient’s balance. According to ancient theories, disease is thought to occur when the body’s balance is disrupted due to the poor flow of the three elements. This is often due to a deficiency.

Acupuncture is both an art and a skill. Only with years of study, hard work, and practice can acupuncture be mastered. When the basic mechanics of inserting a needle to the proper location and depth have been attuned to a high degree, not only will the acupuncture experience be painless, but something magical can happen. The practitioner can begin to fully work with the energetics of the patient. This is where real acupuncture differs from the rough and unrefined “needling” of practitioners unfamiliar with the theories of Traditional Oriental Medicine. Long before techniques such as IMS existed, skilled acupuncturists achieved better results with ancient techniques. Unfortunately, like many other “advances”, modern acupuncture has missed the point (pardon the pun!)

At John’s Acupuncture Clinic, we use Chinese, Japanese, and Korean needles, thin needles and thick needles, long and short needles, intradermal and embedding needles, made from silver, gold, copper, and stainless steel. You will also find the ancient “fire needle” as well as the “stone needle”. We believe in using the right tool for the job and by doing so, we needle appropriately. Rather than just needling a “point”, we treat the person who has a deficiency, with the aim of strengthening and balancing that individual. This is real acupuncture, based on classical theories. We are dedicated to helping you recover and maintaining health and we are also dedicated to the art of acupuncture.

For those intellectual types who are looking for scientific proof, the acupuncture effect mechanism is explained (but not fully) by the following theories: Neurotransmitter Theory, Autonomic Nervous System Theory, Gate Control Theory, Vascular-interstitial Theory, Blood Chemistry Theory. For more information, please see www.tcmabc.org.