The term “acupuncture” owes its origins to 15th century Jesuit Missionaries in China who coined the word from the Latin words “acus” meaning needle and “puncture” meaning puncture.

Acupuncture works on the premise that your body is constructed of a network of channels, also called meridians, that are similar to your veins and arteries. Like a river, energy flows through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissues.  This energy, which is called “Qi,” (pronounced “che”), helps you maintain a healthy and happy life.

When disease or illness sets in, it is like a dam that backs up the flow in one part of the body and restricts it in others. Your Qi is unable to flow properly to fight off the disorder.

Acupuncture treatments and herbal medicine focus on restoring an even Qi flow, which stimulates the body's natural ability to heal itself while  promoting physical and emotional well-being.

The amazing history of acupuncture has made it the world's oldest contemporary medical system. It has been used to effectively diagnose, treat and prevent ailments for over 5,000 years.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is one of the oldest forms of healing known to man. This ancient healing art has become a growing, respected, health care alternative in the Western world. In 1996 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved acupuncture for use when administered by a licensed acupuncturist. In the United States, acupuncture has gained increasing acceptance with Americans who did not benefit from conventional medicine, but found help through acupuncture and herbal remedies.

Unlike Western medicine, the emphasis in Chinese m edicine is from a holistic approach of treating the whole person. Hence, many people have found traditional Chinese methods of healing to be excellent tools, not only in treating illnesses, but for the prevention of illnesses as well.

Other Questions of Interes : :

• What is Acupuncture?
• How Does Acupuncture Work?
• The Importance of Herbal Medicine