Acupuncture is a form of traditional medicine that dates back thousands of years. Acupuncture works by stimulating specific points on the body, known as acupuncture points, which are located along pathways called meridians. This stimulation encourages your body to heal itself by improving Qi (energy) flow and restoring balance. By targeting the root causes of your symptoms, we aim to help you achieve long-term health and balance. Experience the benefits of ancient healing practices tailored to meet your modern health needs at Mended Roots.

Although there is no one definitive way acupuncture works from the western perspective. There is evidence that shows it works by eliciting change through the muscles, connective tissue, and nervous system. Often causing a variety of changes throughout the body.

Acupuncture has been shown to be beneficial for many health conditions. Which include but are not limited to: Low back pain Sciatica and neuropathy Knee and join pain Migraines and headaches Anxiety Depression Nausea Insomnia and sleep IBS/IBD Fibromyalgia OB/GYN issues Fertility/IVF treatment success and more

No, usually acupuncture needles are barely felt. Depending on the point used and the individual the experience may vary but most do not feel them or have very mild sensations. The needles used in acupuncture a very thin and most barely feel them.

Acupuncture tends to work best with consistency. Usually starting out 1-2x a week is a good way to start. More frequent than that is rarely needed.

Results may vary from case to case. It can be impacted by age, severity of the issue, and how long the problem has been going on. Often a general guideline is 1 treatment per month you have had the problem. Usually within 4-8 appointments, we expect to see some change. For more specific estimations please set up a time to talk to get a better idea.

Generally, needles will achieve the results the fastest. There are styles of acupuncture that use 'non-insertive' techniques. Using something called a teishin or moxibustion to treat the acupuncture points. Often needles are encouraged as they tend to be painless but work faster.

A meridian is a pathway in which qi flows through the body. The meridians have both superficial and deeper components to them. Often named after different organs, they tend to be the areas where acupuncture points can be found. There are 14 major meridians that cover the whole body, from the top of the head to the bottom of the foot. Each has their own function and way it benefits the body.

No, there are many different styles and techniques that all fall under the category of acupuncture. Even though they all originate from the same classical texts and often use needles, they can look very different. I practice both Chinese and Japanese acupuncture at my office. Some of the differences include, diagnosis being done by looking at the tongue and pulse or via palpation of the abdomen. Japanese acupuncture tends to use few needles inserted more shallowly. Often good for those wary of needles or that don't want too much stimulation. Both use adjunctive techniques, such as cupping and moxibustion, but some styles use different techniques in greater frequency.

Moxibustion, commonly referred to as moxa, is a technique that applies heat to specific areas by burning moxa. Moxa is the dried arial parts of the mugwort (artemisia vulgaris) plant made into a pulp like substance. Often used to help improve the movement of qi and blood in an area. This can be very useful for a range of issues, including inflammation and pain. Generally a gentle warmth is felt when the technique is being performed. Moxa can be burned on the handle of the needles, made into a cone, or rolled into a cylinder and used to heat a large area, among other ways.

Cupping is a technique growing in popularity. Chinese medicine has used cupping for hundreds of years to help aid acupuncture treatments be even more effective. It is a technique in which a cup is used to create suction over an area. This can be stationary cups or then slid around to cover even more of an area. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) we use supping to bring stagnation up to the surface and help the body dispel it more easily. Most often thought of to treat tight and sore muscles, cupping can be used in a wide range of conditions in TCM. Usually cupping is great to get things flowing in that area. It likely will leave circular bruise like marks on the area. These marks should heal relatively quickly and are not painful. Most find this to be a very relaxing experience.

Gua sha translated to scraping sha. Sha meaning the petechiae that comes from performing the technique. To perform the technique you use a tool such as a Chinese soup spoon to scrape and area or muscle. It is used similarly to cupping to remove stagnation of qi and blood. Allowing you to work deeply into the muscle that can hard to achieve with traditional massage techniques. This technique will also leave a bruise like mark when performed. It often is not painful and heals quickly.

Electro-acupuncture is a relatively modern technique that has been used since the 1930s. The acupuncturist uses a machine, similar to a tens unit, to pass a current down two different leads attached to acupuncture needles. The electrical pulses pass between those two needles, stimulating the points and pathways between them. It can be a great tool to help relieve chronic and nagging pain. The technique is not painful when performed correctly.

Auriculotherapy is a technique used to treat the whole body by just using the ear. Using similar concepts to reflexology, the body is mapped out over the ear with different areas corresponding to different parts of the body. Originally developed and used long ago, the current system is often credited to Dr. Nogier who developed a system in the 1950s. It uses the ear to stimulate the autonomic nervous system to cause effects all over the body. It can be performed with needles, press balls, or electrical stimulation most commonly.

Qi is the energy or vital force, in traditional Chinese medicine, is thought to be responsible for many functions in the body. Its the motive force behind most of your bodies functions. The qi flows all throughout the body along pathways known as meridians. The smooth flow of qi is thought to be responsible for balance and harmony of the body. There are many different categories of qi that all perform specific functions.