I'm often asked:
How does acupuncture work?
How can it relieve pain, improve health, and restore balance?
Let’s explore how acupuncture works, especially the unique style I use - Chinese acupuncture combined with yin yang healing (CAH).
Acupuncture is a holistic approach to addressing pain, illness, and imbalance by restoring the natural flow of Qi within the body.
What is Qi?
Qi is our body’s life force—when it flows smoothly, it keeps us healthy and protects against illness and pain. Our overall health depends on the quality, abundance, and availability of this vital energy. Qi acts as the "master" regulatory force, guiding and supporting all of the body’s systems. Qi flows through the body along pathways known as meridians, which connect our internal organs and glands to the rest of the body. Think of these meridians like rivers—when the flow is smooth and strong, health is maintained. If there’s a blockage, however, it can lead to discomfort or illness. Acupuncture works by targeting specific points, called acupoints, along these meridians to restore the flow of Qi. These acupoints can be stimulated in various ways, including needles, magnets, electricity, heat, or gentle touch.
For acupuncture to be effective, both the bigger picture and the immediate symptoms need attention. The success of acupuncture depends on identifying two key factors:
The "root" cause, which is the underlying reason affecting the flow of Qi.
The "branch" aspect, which represents the immediate symptoms or discomfort being experienced.
Because the root and branch are closely connected, both need to be understood and treated together for acupuncture to work effectively and deliver lasting results. Think of it like this:
Imagine watering a garden with a hose. At first, water flows smoothly, but suddenly it stops. What’s the problem? There are several possibilities:
The tap was turned off.
The water supply to the house was cut.
The hose got kinked or twisted.
The hose got stuck on something.
The hose was damaged or cut.
In this scenario, the symptom—the 'branch' of the problem—is clear: the water has ceased to flow. However, to solve it, the root cause needs to be investigated. Fixing the kink won’t help if the tap was turned off, or if the hose was damaged. The first step would be to turn the tap off, then repair the hose.
With this analogy in mind, it’s clear that all styles of Chinese acupuncture, at their core, aim to understand both the root cause and the symptoms of any issue. What makes Chinese acupuncture combined with Yin Yang Healing (CAH) unique is that the practitioner doesn’t just diagnose the root and branch—they actively verify their understanding throughout both the evaluation and treatment, ensuring the approach is accurate and effective.
How does CAH style work?
The first step is asking questions like: "Why isn’t the patient improving?" and "How can Qi be moved to restore the body’s full healing potential?" These answers are found through careful palpation during treatment.
CAH uses a refined system of palpation to evaluate, diagnose, and assess the effectiveness of treatment. Palpation involves applying gentle pressure to specific areas of the body to check for discomfort, which is reported by the patient. Any area that feels tight or uncomfortable provides valuable clues in understanding why the body is not in balance. At the heart of this approach is the practice of abdominal palpation, which forms the foundation of diagnosis and assessment.
During treatment, most patients experience abdominal palpation and often notice discomfort in areas they hadn’t even been aware of. So what’s the significance of discovering these areas of discomfort? Here's the answer:
The abdomen holds special significance as it serves as the energetic, digestive, and physical centre of the body, with the navel at its core. The navel represents a deep connection to life, as it was the lifeline to our mothers through the umbilical cord, providing everything needed for survival and growth. In a sense, development begins from the belly outward, making the abdomen a mirror of our energetics and physiology, and an accurate reflection of our overall health.
I use palpation to create a "map" of the body's strengths, weaknesses, and energetic blocks. This map is then compared to the patient's main complaint to determine the most effective treatment strategy. One key advantage of palpation is that both the practitioner and the patient can clearly sense when an area is uncomfortable and when it has been cleared through treatment.
Understanding how Qi flows and how root causes connect to symptoms reveals the true power of acupuncture. This approach not only relieves pain in the moment, but also helps build lasting balance and health. If you're seeking a natural, holistic way to feel your best, this ancient wisdom and technique could be the answer.
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