Acupuncture is the fine art of the manipulation of Qi (pronounced: ‘chee’). This is achieved by the gentle and largely painless practice of stimulating tiny needles into established points throughout the surface of the body. There is some debate as to the actual origin of Acupuncture. Classical Chinese texts date its practice back more than three

thousand years. Though largely popularized by the ancient and modern Chinese, historical documents and artifacts have recently given rise to the possibility that the art of Acupuncture as a healing modality could actually date as far back as five thousand years – long before it was first mentioned in Chinese texts. Over the years, acupuncture has continued to evolve with the development of modern science into a complete system of healing that is accepted throughout the world.

As Acupuncture has evolved, many different styles have emerged based on the classical texts and by several countries including Japan, Korea, France and Vietnam - just to name a few. Regardless of its origins or the particular style used, the goals of Acupuncture remain constant: to restore balance within the body and to promote the body’s natural healing abilities.

We are trained in and use several different types of Acupuncture at Center Point. Some treatments will employ only one style of treatment, while others will incorporate several different styles to achieve the desired result. This will depend on the individual patient’s needs and the conditions being treated. Each patient’s individual treatment will be custom designed and specifically tailored to meet his or her particular health care needs.

Please take a moment to read over some of the styles of acupuncture (listed to the left) that we use here at Center Point Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine.

Our goal is to make your Acupuncture experience as enjoyable as possible. Please feel free to email us with any questions or concerns about your individual needs.

Types of Acupuncture used at Center Point0

1. Zang - Fu Acupuncture (or Traditional Chinese Style Acupuncture)
Also known as “Traditional Chinese Medicine” (TCM), this is one of the most commonly practiced styles of acupuncture throughout the world today. A practitioner using the Zang-Fu style of acupuncture first establishes a TCM diagnosis through what are known as the ‘Eight Principles’ and ‘Six Divisions’, as well as specific indicators found in a patient’s pulse and by the appearance of their tongue. Through these diagnostic techniques, a patient’s treatment plan is established according
to affected organs and systemic imbalances. Once a treatment plan is established, specific points on the body are chosen and combined to treat the areas of imbalance found through the diagnosis. These points are then needled or warmed through the process of Moxibustion. A patient’s treatment plan can vary from one visit to the next. This is because as the patient’s condition improves, they cause a change in their TCM diagnosis. As this diagnosis changes, so to does their individual treatment plan. Zang-Fu style acupuncture is the most common style of Acupuncture treatment plan in the US, and is the basis of a Traditional Chinese Medicine education and licensing examination.

2. Japanese Style Acupuncture or Meridian Therapy)
The treatment philosophy underlying Japanese Acupuncture is to use the least amount of acupuncture-point stimulation to affect the greatest amount of change. Practitioners practicing this style of acupuncture use thinner and fewer needles, fewer acupuncture points, and shallower needle stimulation. Often times, a Japanese style treatment involves simply touching the surface of the skin with the needles, versus actually inserting them into the skin. This style of acupuncture is particularly popular with patients who have a pronounced sensitivity to acupuncture needles and who are averse to the ‘Qi sensation’ that usually accompanies Traditional ‘Chinese-style’ acupuncture. Japanese style or “Meridian Therapy” acupuncture often formulates a patient’s treatment around their particular constitutional type or corresponding 5-element diagnosis.
A practitioner who practices Japanese Acupuncture also employs abdominal palpation, pulse diagnosis and light palpation of the acupuncture meridians to determine the underlying imbalance and corresponding treatment.

3. Auricular Acupuncture
	Auricular acupuncture utilizes the theory of microcosm equals macrocosm. In other words, on each of the ears, and entire diagram of the body can be mapped out on a micro-scale with points then chosen and activated accordingly. Through careful diagnosis and treatment, your acupuncturist can address various physical and emotional conditions using specific points on both ears. This style of acupuncture usually employs tiny needles, ear
seeds, or ear tacks. This allows for a gentle stimulation of the auricular points. Ear seeds and tacks may be left in the ears after treatment to apply continuous stimulation to the points. Auricular Acupuncture is extremely popular in drug and alcohol detoxification programs across North America. (See Smoking Cessation / Addictive Disorders below) It is also used in conjunction with other styles of acupuncture, both as an adjunct to your treatment or as a specialty unto itself.

4. Sports Medicine Acupuncture (or Motor Point Therapy)
Sports Medicine Acupuncture is a series of needling techniques specifically geared towards the treatment of orthopedic disorders and painful musculoskeletal conditions. The scientific approach behind this style of acupuncture is fairly modern, however the points utilized remain largely traditional and historical in nature.
This style of acupuncture follows the theory that most painful orthopedic conditions are due to an imbalance of the muscle systems of a particular area. By treating these conditions through a re-alignment and balancing of the pathological muscles involved, range of motion is restored, pain is reduced, and the speed of recovery time is increased – often with exceptionally fast results.
This is achieved is through the use of Motor Points. Motor points are areas on each muscle that possess the least resistance to electrical conductivity. Extensive research and practice has found that, by stimulating stainless steel needles in these particular points, a nerve response occurs which essentially ‘re-sets’ the communication between that particular muscle and the central nervous system. This ‘re-setting’ of the muscle helps to release spasms in chronically tight muscles, and conversely, helps to ‘turn-on’ muscles that have become weak through over-stretching, atrophy, or fatigue.
This style of acupuncture is exceptionally popular with athletes who are actively training for events or needing a quick recovery from an injury. It also serves as an excellent therapy for those individuals struggling with injuries due to chronic overuse and repetitive stress.

5. Electro-Acupuncture
Electro-Acupuncture is most often used in conjunction with Sports Medicine style acupuncture, though it can be used with nearly any type of acupuncture. With Electro-Acupuncture, small electrical leads are connected to already-inserted acupuncture needles and a very slight electrical current is sent through the needles and into the acupuncture point. This is not a painful process, but rather one that has exceptional health benefits for the patient.
In the case of Sports Medicine style acupuncture, this technique is especially helpful when working with muscles in chronic spasm. The electrical current helps to fatigue the muscle, causing it to release its contraction and continue the relaxation process.
Electro-Acupuncture is also widely used in the treatment of depression, facial palsies, sciatica, piriformis syndrome, and in helping to restore motor function to stroke victims.

6. Smoking Cessation/Addiction Recovery Treatments
The treatment of addictive disorders through Acupuncture has been well established and studied by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association and is commonly known as the ‘NADA protocol.’ The NADA protocol is exceptionally popular and very simple in nature. NADA utilizes pre-set points on the ear (see Auricular Acupuncture above) and a couple of supplementary points on the hands and feet.
With the appropriate adjunctive therapies, Acupuncture has been proven to be extremely beneficial in the recovery of addictive disorders and has been endorsed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and World Health Organization (WHO) for its effects.

7. Balance Method / I-Ching Acupuncture
Balance Method, I-Ching, and Ba-Gua styles of acupuncture have been discussed and used in Classical Chinese Acupuncture texts for centuries and have gained increasing popularity here in the western-based Acupuncture community through the teachings made popular by Dr. Richard Tan. These styles of acupuncture, all variations on the same theories, are based on the Chinese concepts of the Yin/Yang (Tai Chi) and Ba Gua symbols pictured to the right. These theories are immensely pop-
ular and all follow the Taoist concepts of the interrelation of all things within existence, and the constant balance between them. This amazingly effective form of acupuncture treats disharmonies within the body by restoring balance through the use of the theories listed above. In this method, each channel or pathway in the body can be balanced out by treating a corresponding or linked pathway on a different part of the body. For example, hip pain can be treated by focusing on its anatomically mirror: the Shoulder. Elbow pain can be alleviated by treating the knee and vice versa. This particular style of acupuncture is extremely popular for its minimal use of needles, instantaneous results and for the feeling of overall balance that comes with this style of treatment.

8. Acupressure
Acupressure uses all of the treatment modalities listed above – without needles. Specific Acupuncture points are still utilized within this modality however, instead of using needles, strong palpation and pressure will be used on the points through the hands of your practitioner.
Magnets, herbal seeds and the warming action of Moxibustion are also often used to generate Qi and stimulate specific acu-points.
Acupressure is especially popular in the treatment of children and infant patients.