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For many pain conditions, acupuncture is one of the least
invasive treatment options available. Acupuncture is the most
well known modality in the ancient tradition of Oriental
medicine, dating back over five thousand years. Having been
used all over Asia in one form or another, Oriental medicine
has been the primary form of health care for roughly a fifth
of the world's population for much of human history.
Acupuncture in particular has stood the test of time and
today is recognized by many mainstream medical providers as
an effective way to treat many conditions and is even
substantiated by research.
Acupuncture is based on the principle that there are pressure
points throughout the body that can be stimulated to benefit
health and reduce pain. Most of these points are found along
14 major pathways throughout the body referred to as
meridians. While the ancient understanding of the Meridian
system overlaps in some ways with the modern understanding of
the nervous system, it is still thought that they are
distinct from one another.
Meridians and the points along them are located throughout
the body, at varying depths beneath the skin. By identifying
the root source of an imbalance and stimulating the
appropriate point, the acupuncturist helps to direct the body
to correct it's own malfunction. "Qi" (the Chinese word for
energy, pronounced "chee") flows through the meridians and is
responsible for the body's healthy, pain free
function.
Illness and pain are thought to be caused by an imbalance of
this energy. Acupuncture is aimed primarily at reducing
excess qi, tonifying deficient qi or unblocking stagnation of
qi, depending on presenting symptoms. The focus is not on
illness as defined by western medicine but rather on
identifying and correcting the underlying cause and thus
bolstering the bodies ability to heal that illness.
Oriental medicine includes a broad range of other modalities
such as Chinese herbal medicine, Tui Na massage, and dietary
and exercise recommendations. Many patients in North America
are now discovering acupuncture as a safe and effective care
of a wide range of ailments as it is now licensed in over 40
states.
What to Expect During a Treatment
During a typical treatment, needles as thin as a human hair
are gently inserted into specific points on the body that
have been found to help the presenting symptoms. These points
are along 14 primary meridians that span the entire length of
the body. The choice of points typically involves a
combination of direct treatment in the area of dysfunction
and treatment of points distal to where the problem is that
have been found to reflexively enhance a desired function.
Dietary advice and/or time-tested herbal formulas may also be
incorporated into the treatment plan.
An Ancient System, as Relevant Today as Ever
While modern physiology has clearly mapped out the nervous
system and identified some aspects of how acupuncture works,
the full effectiveness of acupuncture therapy cannot be
adequately explained through the modern medical model or
explained away by the placebo effect. This ancient system
continues to offer a unique, relatively non-invasive and
surprisingly effective system for explaining, identifying and
correcting imbalance. The treatment of pain is the most
well-known and documented use of acupuncture, though patients
with virtually all forms of illness report benefits from its
use as its focus is on correcting underlying imbalance and
not just on fighting a specific illness. Because of this,
Oriental medicine theory and practice is just as relevant to
the ills of today as it has been throughout history.
Furthermore, it has proven to be flexible enough for
application to new illness, never before encountered, and to
people everywhere regardless of ethnic or religious
background. Within the past thirty years, acupuncture has
been receiving a great deal of recognition within the United
States. As acceptance of it's benefits is increasing within
the main stream medical system, acupuncture is being included
in the emerging model of integrative medicine. The University
Health Clinic aspires to this new model of medicine where
practitioners from across disciplines are beginning to
collaborate in combining therapies through cross referrals
and even fully integrated care clinics. This new model of
medicine helps to ensure that patients have a chance to
consider all their options, using less invasive procedures
when appropriate.
Washington State License Requirements
You can rest assured that you will receive the highest
quality of standardized care. To become a Licensed
acupuncturist in WA state, George Whiteside, M.S., L.Ac. went
to Bastyr University, and completed the acupuncture program,
accredited by the ACAOM (Accreditation Commission for
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) and passed the board exam
of the NCCAOM (National Certification Commission of
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine).
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