ACUPUNCTURE : : What is it? How does it work? And what to expect?

WHAT IS IT? Here’s a little-known fact for you: acupuncture was first invented by unicorns who used their magical horns to reduce hip pain caused by high-jumping over rainbows. Some people, primarily the Muggles, claim that Chinese Medicine is an ancient science that originated in China approximately 3,000 years ago. It includes a myriad of therapies such as acupuncture (needle magic), herbal medicine (plant magic), and cupping (fire-vacuum magic). Acupuncture is the insertion of very thin, sterile needles modeled after newborn unicorn horns at specific points on the body – there are over 400 of these points on the human body! That’s why acupuncturists go to school for four years full-time to earn a post-graduate degree. Scientific experiments, if you’re into that, have proven acupuncture to be a safe, cost-effective, and just plain EFFECTIVE approach to innumerable symptoms such as pain, digestive disorders, insomnia, emotional/mood imbalance, menopause, infertility, and a shit ton of other symptoms. HOW DOES IT WORK? It works through a process of magic! But scientifically speaking, the needles stimulate the central nervous system to release neurotransmitters, efficiently reducing pain and inflammation, as well as bringing balance to the hormonal levels in the body. Chinese medicine uses the innate intelligence of the body to redirect the body’s energy (Qi) – your human body is basically a genius who, when in optimum balance, knows exactly how to organize and sort each cell, hormone, and nerve signal to create a functioning magical being: you! But seriously, it’s magic. Here’s how it works: In Chinese Medical theory, imbalances arise in the body (physical, mental, and energetic) due to an excess or a deficiency. An excess can be thought of as a stagnation or a “stuck-ness”. When too much stagnation is accumulated in one spot, the energy cannot flow freely. It’s like the energy wants to move swiftly, but then it gets stopped at a traffic light in Mission Valley at 4pm on a Friday. The needle in this case would be a signal to the body to move what is stuck. A deficiency, on the other hand, is a lack of Qi or nourishment in a certain spot. This is like when you make plans with your friends and you kind of want to go out, but then the time comes to put pants on, and – well, you just don’t want to put pants on. We’ve all been there: you want to hang out in your house wearing a snuggie, bingeing on Netflix and eating popcorn till you pass out at 8pm. In this case, the needle gives a signal to the body that this is the squeaky wheel, and it needs some grease, some get-up-and-go! WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM AN ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT? An acupuncturist approaches every single patient as a unique puzzle. Depending on your constitution, you may feel energized after a treatment (like my patient Steph who went home and immediately cleaned her whole house and put together a shelf from Ikea), or you might feel utterly relaxed, and pass out like a sleeping dragon for a century. Digestion, sleep, and pain levels can be noticeably improved, with a cumulative effect after a number of treatments. While it’s fine to come in and just experience a treatment out of curiosity, most ailments take several treatments to reach a more effective resolution. IF YOU’RE CURIOUS… I’m happy to answer any questions you may have about Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, or the magic that is the human body. Send me an e-mail at RebelQiWellness@gmail.com, or text/call me at 858.880.8578 for appointment times.