Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a comprehensive group of treatment and diagnostic modalities dating back over 2,000 years ago.  It is widely practiced in the United States and around the world, and is generally accepted as a safe and effective treatment alternative and complement to Western medical therapies. 

Balance is the core underlying belief and practice in TCM therapies.  Acupuncture works along the body's meridians, which carry vital substances and energy throughout the body.  By regulating and balancing these meridians we help to restore the body to its' finest working condition, and by doing so we facilitate the body's ability to heal itself. 

Another key component to acupuncture therapy is lifestyle.  For some conditions acupuncture can have an almost instantaneous positive effect, however, for many conditions, especially those which are long lasting and more internal, a comprehensive approach to treatment must be adopted.  Lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise are key components to an effective acupuncture regimen. 

Acupuncture is the procedure of inserting very fine, single use disposable needles into the skin and muscle tissue to stimulate acupuncture points and meridians.  We use the needles in order to access the body's Qi underneath the skin and by doing so we can manipulate the Qi of the meridians to create balance of the body's energies. 

The needles are inserted and often manipulated to produce a certain sensation of energy in the body.  The needles are then often retained in the body for anywhere from 15 - 45 minutes, depending on the conditions being treated.

Moxibustion is the application of a smoldering herb, Mugwort, to acupuncture points on the body.  The herb can be applied in many forms: stick moxa - the herb is tightly wound in paper, similar in shape to a cigar, and the smoldering end is held over the point on the body; and loose moxa - the fluffy dried herb is rolled into pyramidal shaped cones of a variety of sizes and either placed on a surface on the body, such as a slice of fresh ginger, or rolled into very small rice grain sized cones which are placed directly on the skin.

The warm sensation felt in the body is very relaxing and can have a dramatic effect on long standing conditions, chronic fatigue, pain associated with weakness, fertility and even the common cold.

Electro-Stimulation is applying small electrodes to needles inserted in the body to complete a circuit.  Small scale electricity is run through the points which effects the muscles underneath.  E-stim can be used to heavily stimulate points on the body to create a greater effect from the acupuncture, or it can be used at higher frequencies to actually reduce nerve sensitivity and thus block pain (e-stim acupuncture is actually used in China for anesthesia!)  E-stim also has an immaculate effect on those affected by paralysis, specifically Bell's Palsy.