Britannia Acupuncture Clinic ^®
Southwest, Calgary

What is acupuncture and how does it work?

Acupuncture is an essential part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) - a comprehensive system of health care with a history of over 3000 years. According to TCM theory, human body has 14 channels called meridians. Meridians form a network along the body that carries a universal life energy called Qi. TCM theory believes that Qi can be enhanced, improved and nourished. Along the meridians, there are many points called acu-points. Each acu-point may be considered as a switch that controls the flow of energy. Malfunction of these switches may result in blockage of energy flow. TCM theory believes that illnesses are the result of meridian blockage which causes disruption of the flow of Qi. Regulating (stimulating) acu-points can unblock the meridians.

Acupuncture works by inserting fine needles into specific acu-points, by stimulating these points, by opening the blockage, and by eliminating the symptoms. As a system of healing, acupuncture helps the body to speed up its self-healing process. It not only helps to eliminate the symptoms, but also it works towards the restoration of harmony and balance in body, mind and spirit; therefore, to achieve physical, mental and social well-being. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued a consensus statement on acupuncture. The statement indicated that "There is sufficient evidence of acupuncture's value to expand its use into conventional medicine"

What can be treated by acupuncture?

According to World Health Origination (WHO), the health conditions that may be treated with acupuncture include the followings:

• Neurological & Emotional Disorders: depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, fatigue, headache, migraine, MS.
• Musculoskeletal Disorders: arthritis, frozen shoulder, neck and back pain, sciatic pain, tennis elbow, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, whiplash, fibromyalgia, TMJ.
• Reproductive & Gynaecological Disorders: premenstrual syndrome (PMS), spotting and excessive bleeding, menopause, infertility, pregnancy related problems.
• Gastrointestinal Disorders: colitis, constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), nausea, vomiting, hiccough.

In addition, other problems commonly treated by acupuncture include asthma, common cold, post-stroke recovery, chemotherapy and radiation side effects, nicotine and drug withdrawal.

How frequent acupuncture treatment is needed?

Depending on the type of the illness and the condition of the patient, acupuncture treatment varies in frequency and length. Each patient usually requires a unique plan. The rule of thumb is that acute conditions are usually scheduled as several short-spanned sessions. Chronic problems, on the other hand, usually take at least one course (10 sessions) of treatment. The acupuncturist will reassess the patient’s progress after each treatment course to make further recommendation.

The patients should carefully follow the treatment plan once it is set up and scheduled. It is important for the patients to report to the acupuncturist their response to the treatment before each session. This will help the acupuncturist to gauge the necessity in making adjustment in their treatment plan, and to make further recommendation. For best result, patients should schedule their following sessions for every 2-5 days. Longer delay between treatment sessions is likely to slow down the recovery process.

If you would like to know more about acupuncture, please contact us at (403) 208-6488. For a demo, you can visit us at Britannia Acupuncture Clinic, 202, 5005 Elbow Drive, Southwest, Calgary.