Acupuncture Explained (Pt 1): Ancient Wisdom & Contemporary Healing

"Can acupuncture fix that?"

We asked our Serenity Holistic Health acupuncture team - And the answer has overwhelmingly been, Acupuncture can help with everything! Or the list of what acupuncture cannot do is far shorter than the benefits it can have for you.

The most common belief is acupuncture relieves pain - And it totally can, but acupuncture benefits are far more versatile than just pain relief!

If you have been interested in acupuncture as a treatment, but unsure if it’s right for you - You’re not alone! So let’s talk about acupuncture from the East Asian Medicine (EAM) or “Traditional Chinese Medicine” (TCM) perspective.

The Energy & Meridian Networks of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is all about creating balance within the body.

The core belief of EAM / TCM is that our bodies contain energy channels known as “Meridians” so our “Qi” (or our life-force energy) can travel throughout our body. Our Meridians can become disrupted by illness, stress (good or bad), strong emotions, etc. & create “Qi” imbalances within our body.

Our bodies contain 12 main Meridians. 

There are 10 Meridians that are associated with a specific organ: Lung, Heart, Liver, Gallbladder, Stomach, Small intestine, Large intestine, Spleen, Bladder & Kidney.

The other 2 Meridians are Pericardium, which protects our heart & there exists a strong emotional / spiritual connection & Sanjiao (Triple Burner), which regulates our metabolism & fluid transportation throughout the body. 

There are an additional 8 extraordinary Meridians that play a vital role in absorbing & transferring energy to the 12 main Meridians!

Why all this discussion on Meridians? There are specific acupuncture points along these Meridian channels that perform a different function.

The acupuncture points used in your treatment are selected based on the information gathered from your detailed health history, feeling your pulses - And looking at your tongue!

Fun TCM Fact: The tongue is believed to be a map of all the organs!

Each location on your tongue represents a different organ, providing acupuncturists with a visual of what is going on inside your body - Whether there is a deficiency or excess of heat, dampness, phlegm, etc. 

Similarly, there are 3 different pulse positions on each wrist that represent a different organ. The pace of the pulse further indicates any imbalances within the respective meridians.

Acupuncture has a similar basis to all other modalities of healthcare: Symptoms are never random.

Symptoms allow our bodies to express when something is out of balance. Acupuncture focuses on identifying & treating the root cause of our internal imbalances rather than just managing the symptoms. Whether you have a specific health concern or pursuing preventative healthcare, acupuncture may be the treatment you have been seeking!

Our next blog post will focus on common symptoms & ailments that benefit from acupuncture support! 

If you’re interested in booking acupuncture today, please call our clinic at 708-848-4626 or book online! If you want to receive other updates from our clinic, consider following us on Instagram or subscribing to our newsletter.