Stress is a natural and non-specific response our body experiences when faced with emotional or physical demands. It is a defense mechanism that was essential in our ancestry: Our fight or flight response. It protected us from predators and helped us carry on our life line. However, compared to our ancestors, in today’s culture we deal with many more stressors on a day to day basis. We see more negative stress induced on our bodies and our physical and mental health are paying the price.

From a Chinese Medicine perspective, when the natural movement of Qi is interfered with, which can happen with stress, it can prevent one from moving emotionally and physically through an event. We feel “stuck”; stuck in an emotion; stuck in a negative physical pattern. Our body has lost it’s balance. By restoring the natural flow of Qi, acupuncture allows one to move more easily through thoughts and emotions and positively influences our body’s natural hormonal rhythm thereby addressing the various systems affected by the stress response.

Many people address pain in the body by taking medication. Medication can certainly be helpful as a short term solution, by making pain more bearable. However, medication tends to only dull the symptoms, and generally fails to address the root of the problem. By experiencing pain, the body is sending a signal that something is wrong. If the root of the problem is not addressed the pain will tend to worsen over time. From a Chinese Medicine perspective, pain occurs  when Qi and blood are blocked from flowing to a specific area. This blockage prevents  the area from being properly nourished. 

By inserting very fine needles into specific points, acupuncture removes these blockages, enabling Qi and blood to return to the area. This also  maximizes the movement of the body's natural defenses to the injured area and in doing so, acupuncture not only relieves pain but also allows the body to heal.

ACUPUNCTURE ADDRESSES PAIN BY:

• reducing inflammation
• stimulating the immune system
• effecitively blocking pain signals to the brain
• altering the chemicals that are being secreted in the central nervous system
• improving blood circulation
• stimulating the release of natural hormones that help the body to respond to injury
• releasing natural endorphins that respond to pain