Acupuncture
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a gentle nudge to invigorate your innate healing capabilities. Physical pain and illness are hormonal or neurological mishaps that cause imbalanced conditions. An acupuncture treatment is like mending a tattered tapestry or rebooting a short-circuited condition. Once your body receives this reset, then your physiological innate conditions re-balance is acquired and multi-level healing happens in mind and body. It is a natural and organic modality!
“Acupuncture treatment is endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The practice is adopted by the Mayo Clinic, John Hopkins Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, US Army, and US Dept. of Veteran Affairs.”
How Does Acupuncture Work?
A prick by a thin, sterile needle is a physiological stimulation to your body. The sensory receptors in your peripheral nervous system sends this stimulative signal to the central nervous system and further relays to the outer layer of your brain (cortex) and reach various parts of the deep brain. Due to the result of this sensory stimulation and the affect to multiple areas of the brain, it triggers an avalanche of neurological and hormonal responses locally and systemically that initiate physiological changes and a healing effect.
How to Decide Which Acupuncture Points to Use?
Traditional Chines Medicine considers that meridians, which are equivalent to glands and nervous systems, connect with specific areas of a human body and their associated organs, thus their functions. In order to address disorders, an acupuncturist takes into considerations of the issues the patient has and the desired results of the treatment to choose physical locations and acupuncture points that connect and correspond to the disorders to illicit therapeutic effects.
How Frequently Should I Have Acupuncture Treatment?
For those who have chronicle issues, starts with a twice-a-week treatment. Tapers down to once a week once the condition is stabilized. For seasonal allergy symptoms, come one month before the season. For those with menstruation symptoms, come two weeks before the period. For fertility issues with IVF, come three months, ideally, before the procedure. Shorter time to IVF implant needs more frequent treatments. For those who will endure chemotherapy or radiation, come at least two weeks ahead. Acupuncture treatment, once a week, during chemotherapy or radiation helps buffering the negative side effects.
Why DO I NEED Acupuncture Treatment?
Hormone Imbalance
The endocrine system uses hormones to control and coordinate your body’s internal metabolism, energy level, reproduction…
PAIN
Pain is a signal relayed and conveyed by your nervous system. Acupuncture treatments activate and release endorphin.
Immunity and Metabolism
Certain acupuncture points are particularly effective in boosting white blood cells and macrophage cells for your body to better defend external pathogens.
Brain
The brain receives external stimuli; it processes them, then make a decision to respond. This about three-pound organ of your body needs fuels to function.
Internal Organ Functions
Acupuncture needling has effects on para-sympathetic nervous system. When you are under stress, your Vagas nerve which encompassed 75% of para-sympathetic nervous system will be affected.
Movement
The fact that you can direct your body and limbs, at your will, to reach a targeted object is an amazing and complex physiological wonder.
Circulation
Blood supply brings nutrients, oxygen; helps healing and warms your body.
Anxiety/Depression, Sleep & Wake Cycle
Acupuncture treatments relax your nervous system. It regulates hormonal imbalance. One of the Hormone is Serotonin.
Body and Mind
Your body and mind have connections. When one goes awry, the other will suffer.
When there is pain, one tends to be in anguish, despair and depression.
What Does Acupuncture Treatments Help
Heromone Imbalance
Internal heromon balance is vital to health. They affect physical development, stamina, puberty, pregnancy, thyroid issue, metabolism, water regulation, menstruation, menopause, and mood swing.
PAIN
Acupuncture alleviates pain due to the intrinsic endorphin activation and secretion from acupuncture insertion. Also, the secretion of endorphin, binds to the same receptor as opioid would so, also block pain sensation.
Immunity and Metabolism
One of the heromon that induced by an acupuncture insertion is steroid. Steroid that produced intrinsically by your own body has a broad and systemic effects.
Brain
Certain acupuncture points have stronger connections with the brain. They stimulate brain cells by invigorating blood flow and infusion to those areas.
Internal Organ Functions
Acupuncture treatments relay stimulating signals through central nerve systems which are composed of sympathetic and para-sympathetic nerves to its targeted area.
Movement
The thought of moving a particular limb of your boy triggers the cerebral cortex sending stimulating signals to extremities to initiate proper movements.
Circulation
Acupuncture treatments dilate blood vessels and invigorate blood flow to bring fresh, oxygenated blood with nutrients for healing.
Anxiety/Depression, Sleep & Wake Cycle
Serotonin acts as a hormone that provides a sense of well-being and satisfaction. Serotonin is mostly produced in the guts (90%) and blood stream (8%), and only 2% in the brain.
Body and Mind
Acupuncture has effects on nervous system and heromon which affect our phycological and mental status. Acupuncture treatments induce endorphin and serotonin release which give a sense of peacefulness, assuages anxiety, and helps with sleep.
DOES MY HEALTH INSURANCE COVER ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENTS?
Many insurance plans cover acupuncture, and it is the patient’s responsibility for her/his plans’ deductible, copay or coinsurance.
Here’s how to find out if you are responsible for…
Your 1st Visit for Acupuncture Treatment
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. I-Hsin “Tammy” Chang acquired her doctor degree in Oriental Medicine from Virginia University of Integrative Medicine (VUIM) in 2020. She received her master degree in acupuncture from Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) in 2012.
Tammy is board certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) and a registered licensed acupuncturist with Virginia Department of Health.
Tammy adopts and integrates various treatment methods (Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dr. Tung, Five Elements, Korean Saam, auricular, scalp acupuncture) according to the patient’s needs to illicit the best results.
Acupuncture, cupping, herbal formula recommendation, moxibustion, and life-style coaching are all part of the integrative tools she provides to her patients.
Dr. I-Hsin ” Tammy” Chang
– Accredited by the NCCAOM
– A licensed acupuncturist with Virginia Department of Health.
Acupuncture is a gentle nudge to invigorate your Innate healing capabilities!
