Acupuncture originated in China over 3,000 years ago and, along with herbal medicine, has been used as a major form of medical treatment for many health conditions all over the world. According to Chinese medicinal principles, energy (also known as “chi”) flows through the body along different channels or “meridians”. When the body is in balance, energy flows uninhibitedly and the body flourishes. When imbalances occur—which can be due to one’s lifestyle, diet or emotional stress—the energy becomes blocked and medical problems can arise.

Through the use of very fine needles at strategic points along the body, acupuncture is able to address the imbalances by unblocking the disrupted energy flow. Once the energy flows uninhibitedly, the body returns to balance and medical problems resolve.

Additional Therapies

The scope of Chinese medicine many times involves more than just using needles. We have at our disposal additional techniques that act as a great compliment to improve circulation, reduce inflammation, soften tissues, break up knots or adhesions and reduce pain.  These techniques include electro-acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping therapy and gua sha.

Electro-Acupuncture

Electro-acupuncture simply uses a machine to introduce a gentle electric current to an inserted needle. The current acts to stimulate the needle and, as such, can have a stronger effect on improving blood flow and reducing pain than the needle alone.

Moxibustion

Moxibustion is a form of heat therapy where the herb Artemisia (mugwort) is used to heat the surface of the body or a needle. The herb penetrating power is the reason it has such strong therapeutic properties for relieving pain. I have used moxibustion to help the most difficult cases, such as spinal stenosis, and have seen incredible results.

Cupping Therapy

Cupping therapy involves the use of either glass or plastic cups in which a vacuum is introduced that produces suction at the site causing the skin to be sucked into the cup. The cups can be left stationary, or they can be slid across the body. Both techniques are extremely comfortable and have a massage like quality. If the individual has significant circulatory blockage, it is not unusual for the cups to leave red or purple marks at the site. These marks are completely normal and are part of the healing process. They usually disappear within a few days. I have found that cupping along with acupuncture can lead to longer lasting health effects than acupuncture alone.

Gua Sha

Gua sha, like cupping, is a manual technique where we use a smooth tool, like a ceramic spoon, to scrape along the skin. This technique works great to soften the tissues, improve blood flow and break up knots and adhesions. Typical areas where this is applied are the upper back, neck and shoulder blades. I have found this technique to work wonders for hard to treat neck pain and tension headaches.
 

What to Expect During Your Visit

During each acupuncture visit, we conduct a thorough health intake to determine the appropriate course of action for each individual. Treatments are tailored to meet the specific needs of our patients. The beauty of acupuncture is that no two people are treated alike—even if diagnosed with the same medical condition.

Does It Hurt?

At Family Acupuncture & Herbs of Reading, we customize each treatment to suit the needs of our patients. For those who are needle-sensitive, we use very fine needles which are nearly painless. Typical sensations one might feel during a treatment are tingling, warmth, pressure or a dull ache. On occasion, some points can be more sensitive than others, but generally, most people find the treatments to be very comfortable and leave feeling very relaxed. If during your treatment you are feeling uncomfortable, we will adjust the treatment to put you at ease.

How Successful Is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is very successful at treating a wide variety of chronic and acute conditions. The success is determined by many factors including a person’s over-all health, and the duration and severity of the condition. Typically, conditions that have been longer lasting will take longer to resolve than those that have not been present as long. Although we can’t guarantee we will be able to help every condition, we will provide you with our honest assessment of your situation, give you realistic expectations, and deliver high quality services.