An Introduction To Acupuncture
Acupuncture is thought to have originated in China and is most commonly associated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Acupuncture treatment regulates the flows of Qi ( life energy ) and Blood, tonifying where there is deficiency, draining where there is excess, and promoting free flow where there is stagnation until the body reaches a healthy balance.
Acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of fine, sterile needles into specific sites (acupuncture points) along the body\’s meridians to clear energy blockages and encourage the normal flow of qi through the individual.
The first forms of acupuncture to reach the United States were brought by non-TCM practitioners -such as Chinese rail road workers- many employing styles that had been handed down in family lineages, or from master to apprentice (collectively known as \”Classical Chinese Acupuncture\”).
Classically, in clinical practice, acupuncture treatment is typically highly individualized and based on philosophical constructs as well as subjective and intuitive impressions, and not on controlled scientific research.
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