What is Acupuncture?

As a traditional medical practice, they encompass
several treatment methods. The main method is the
use of needles to puncture the skin at very specific
locations called Acupuncture points.

Secondarily, Moxibustion is the application of heat to
acupuncture points and is one of the oldest and most
effective forms of oriental therapy. There are two
different types of moxibustion: direct and indirect.
Both direct and indirect methods create heat by
burning moxa, an herb derived from drying the
leaves of the mugwort plant. The indirect method
involves burning moxa on the tip of the acupuncture
needle.

Direct moxibustion is applied by using the fingers to
roll a small amount of moxa into the size of a half of a
grain of rice. This piece is then placed on the skin at
an acupuncture point and burned with incense. The
result is an quick, penetrating heat that stimulates
the acupuncture point without being uncomfortable
for the patient.

Direct moxibustion causes an elevation in blood cell
counts, especially white blood cells. This strengthens
immunity and is effective in reducing pain and
inflammation.

Auricular and laser acupuncture, cupping, and ion
pumping cords are examples of some of the many
supplementary techniques used in acupuncture. The
clinical effectiveness of acupuncture therapies is
evidenced by their continued and extensive use in
modern China, their spread to other Asian countries
such as Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, and their more
recent arrival in the West where they are weathering
the rigorous scrutiny of the Western scientific
method and slowly revealing the biological reasons
for their effectiveness.

Throughout a long and venerable history, a multitude
of acupuncture theories and clinical systems have
evolved. In some cases these have retained their
original form, and in other cases, they have adapted
to the passage of time, transforming under the
scrutiny of clinicians and scholars.

At Acupuncture & Natural Healing Therapies, our
goal is to provide patients with the most effective
techniques, both ancient and modern.