How Does Acupuncture Work?

Chinese philosophy teaches that Chi, or life energy, travels along pathways called meridians. Along these meridians are vortexes of energy, which are the acupuncture points. If the meridian is like a creek that flows along and encounters a turn, the acupuncture point is like the eddy, or whirlpool, formed in this bend. When a person's Chi is strong and flows freely, the person is healthy. When the Chi is blocked, the person can experience dis-ease and illness.

When an acupuncturist places a needle in an acupuncture point, they can tonify, sedate, or disperse energy as needed, creating a balance in the patient's Chi energy. When you are in balance, your body can heal more easily and function more efficiently.

I measure your energy by reading your pulses, 12 in all, one for each of the main meridians, 6 on each wrist. I take your pulses much in the same way a nurse might, but my readings are not to see how many times your heart beats each minute. I try to determine which pulses are high and which are low, then I work get them all balanced.