HOW ACUPUNCTURE WORKS
WHERE THERE IS PAIN, THERE IS NO FLOW
Acupuncture is a practice belonging to a cannon of medicine developed in ancient China and has sustained widespread use for over 2500 years. Predicated upon a system of energetic meridians that run through the body, acupuncture utilizes the insertion of fine needles at specific points on the body to free circulation, increase blood flow and reduce inflammation to thereby treat pain and restore health. When we experience stress, grief, trauma and injury, these energetic pathways either become blocked, constrained or depleted and our physiological function (qi) becomes disrupted, resulting in pain or the experience of illness - where there is pain, there is no flow.
From a biomedical perspective, acupuncture meridians lay in near exact anatomical overlay to the body’s nervous system. The insertion of an acupuncture needle therefore initiates a biochemical cascade of neurotransmitters that regulate the nervous system, exhibiting influence over our pain pathways, hormones, organ and endocrine systems, sleep, mood and processing center of our emotional experience.
Acupuncture is also unique in its direct ability to access the body’s muscle layer, effectively treating compromised tissue (i.e. bound muscle and fascia) at the source of both physical and stored emotional pain. At its core, Acupuncture is a fluid, therapeutic technique rooted in science and artistry used to treat dis-ease, prevent disease and bring the body back into balance for the long-term.
While acupuncture does involve the use of needles, receiving acupuncture is not a painful affair. Needles utilized in practice are sterile, single-use, filiform stainless steel that are no more than the width of a single strand of hair and Meghan works with prudent concern for your comfort. The points along the body at which acupuncture needles may be used are assessed based upon the patient’s presenting condition, orthopedic evaluation and underlying constitution as a means to treat the whole being. Acupuncture is almost always combined with massage or another adjunctive therapy (cupping, gua sha, heat therapy, electro-acupuncture, etc.) to release patterns of physical and emotional tension, support structural alignment and increase mobility during the healing process.
SPORTS MEDICINE:
ORTHOPEDIC ACUPUNCTURE
DRY NEEDLING + TRIGGER POINT THERAPY
Sports medicine acupuncture uses precise techniques commonly referred to as dry needling and/or trigger point therapy to stimulate and release specific areas of compromised muscle tissue, and is a powerful method to relieve injury, mobility, chronic pain and neuromuscular disorders. These areas can often cause pain in other parts of the body leading to discomfort, restricted movement, frustration, anxiety and depression.
It should be noted that while many practitioners in the state of Colorado are able to practice "dry needling" within their scope of practice, acupuncturists are the only professionals who hold the highest educational and clinical training standards in needling techniques which significantly impacts patient comfort and outcomes of therapeutic effect. The practice of acupuncture encompasses a comprehensive approach to patient care, and is unique in its ability to holistically address the root cause of pain from supporting the patient's nervous system to addressing constitutional pathology. All is viewed through the body's web of connections in mind, body and spirit.
Please also see Acupuncture vs. Dry Needling on my FAQ page for more.
ELECTRO-ACUPUNCTURE
Electro-acupuncture utilizes a light, therapeutic current between two acupuncture points to target muscle motor points (where a nerve enters a muscle belly) and/or muscle trigger points (where tenderness or pain is elicited upon palpation). The results achieved include the reduction of inflammation, muscle relaxation, tissue repair and a biochemical response from the brain including the release of neuropeptides - our body’s most powerful analgesics, to both relieve pain and prevent it from coming back.
By activating nerve pathways, electro-acupuncture is most commonly used as an aid in the healing process from pain or injury related to trauma, atrophy, joint impairment and paralysis or stroke rehabilitation. Electro-acupuncture is also highly effective for use in cases to stimulate ovulation and promote fertility, induce labor and can help regulate urination and erections affected by an enlarged prostate or BPH.
JAPANESE ACUPUNCTURE
Japanese acupuncture focuses on delicate needlework and a specific system of examination and diagnostics to guide treatment. Although light in approach, this non-invasive technique is ideal for both sensitive or new patients, as well as those looking to address complex health issues. Japanese acupuncture provides a unique path towards uncovering underlying patterns of disharmony for advanced integrative diagnosis that leads to more effective relief of all conditions ranging from pain, and fatigue, to digestive complaints and hormonal imbalances.
SHONISHIN: PEDIATRIC ACUPUNCTURE
Shonishin (sho = little, ni = children, shin = needle) is a specialized pediatric acupuncture system that utilizes a variety of small non-insertive metal tools to stimulate acupuncture pathways with gentle brushing, pressing or tapping at the surface of the skin. Developed specifically for infants and children, Shonishin is a painless and soothing modality created to match the unique bio-energetics of the developing "yang"nature of pediatric patients. This gentle approach can assist with many common childhood & developmental conditions both physical and emotional from nocturnal enuresis, asthma, allergies, nervous, behavioral and emotional system regulation, digestive complaints, headaches, pain from injury, feelings of hyperactivity, anxiety and depression to hormonal changes in puberty. Treatment is catered to the child’s age, weight, constitution and diagnosis. Shonishin is also commonly combined with Shiatsu and/or pediatric Tuina for best results. Please note that all children should first be evaluated by a medical doctor for their respective condition(s) before receiving a shonishin and/or acupuncture treatment.