When people think about acupuncture, most of them think about needles, which sadly, is the most common reason why a lot of them are reluctant to try it. It is only natural to have a dislike of needles since it causes pain when they’re stuck into your body. Children and some adults with a toothache who need their tooth or teeth pulled out dread going to the dentist because of the novocaine injection they have to undergo, ironically, in order to extract their decayed tooth. But in acupuncture, the needles used are nowhere near the size of syringe or dental needles. They are extremely thin, almost as thin as the metal filament you find in a light bulb. The fact is it would take about four acupuncture needles together to make up the shaft size of a syringe needle. The needles in acupuncture are not designed to draw out blood, they are tools to help move the energy within your body.
People who have been receiving acupuncture for some time now know this and despite this, have from to time felt the needles being inserted into their body. They describe the sensation as a quick pinch. But they have found that the benefits of the therapy greatly outweigh the quick pinch and many of them in fact come in for regular sessions.
Now that you know how an acupuncture needle may feel when inserted into your skin, we will now talk about how acupuncture in Maitland can be of benefit to you. Within each person’s body, there are smaller canals or pathways of energy interacting and moving. These canals are called meridians and they comprise an intricate system that travel from your organs to your legs and arms and all through the other parts of your body. These meridians are found practically everywhere in your body. The points above the meridians that are just below the skin surface are called ‘acupuncture points.’ When a small needle is stuck into a specific acupuncture point, your body is stimulated to remove stagnating blood and energy along a meridian or strengthens the energy of the meridian or even gives the body’s energy the ability to do what it needs to do. If your energy accumulates or stagnates in one area, your spirit, mind, or body may be wracked with issues like anger, sadness, weight gain, difficulty in focusing, tightness, pain, etc.
A practitioner of acupuncture does not just treat the symptoms of people he also addresses the root cause of the symptoms. Acupuncturists can do this because of the nature of the therapy they practice and because of their knowledge of energy. When they apply a needle into the skin of their patient, the needle not only touches the patient’s body but also his mind, spirit, and body. The acupuncturist inserts the needle and the body does the healing. Your acupuncturist does not make your body do what it does not want to. He gives your body a proposition based on your symptoms. Acupuncture treatment is an easy and gentle procedure that touches you in a lasting and profound way.
We will discuss a specific acupuncture point that is used for people who have trouble nourishing themselves. This acupoint is the St 36 point or Hsusanli or “Leg Three Miles” point. It is associated with the Stomach meridian. The St 36 is “an ideal enriching and strengthening point for the Body, Spirit, and Mind. When you are strong and grounded you are able to provide nourishment appropriately and comes back to yourself in a smooth way. You can take in and process foods optimally when your abdomen is strong. You are also able to digest information and process it with clarity. The St 36 can be needled when you have issues in taking in and processing food and information. This point can be activated with either moxibustion or a needle.
Most practitioners treat patients using a combination of moxibustion and acupuncture. Moxibustion is a greatly nourishing treatment meant to build energy, or warm a meridian, an acupuncture point or the body. In this procedure, the mugwort herb is used and turned to a paste called moxa. The paste is rolled into a cigar like wand or small cones and lit. The burning moxa is then hovered a few inches above the skin, over specific meridians to add and build warmth. It is also used to warm the lower back, the bottom of the feet and other areas of the body that suffer due to cold. It can be used to warm the whole body after you’ve been out on the cold and snow for a longtime. It is a great modality to use during cold seasons. Nowadays, moxa can come in various forms such as pre-made cones that can sit on your skin or on an acupuncture needle. You can also buy smokeless moxa if you want to lessen the amount of smoke in the treatment room.
Acupuncture, moxibustion, and even herbs can greatly improve anyone’s health. Also playing an important role in health is your lifestyle which can include the way you eat and the foods you eat. Acupuncturists work with people who take a proactive role in their healing process and who may require a little bit of love, nudge, and support.