Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the insertion of thin, sterile, single-use, disposable needles to stimulate the body’s innate healing ability. The explanation for why acupuncture works the way it does is different depending on your beliefs. The benefit you receive can be explained in terms of ancient Chinese medical philosophy, embryology, biology, kinesiology, endocrinology, neurology, and so on.
At Lucky Cat Acupuncture, acupuncture is used to enhance your body’s ability to realign itself. Acupuncture is a well-rounded manual therapy that addresses physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual blockages.
It is used by many clinics, hospitals, and doctor’s offices around the world.
Acupuncture Is An Adaptable Medicine
To clear these restrictions, acupuncture is second to none. Acupuncture has the ability to target these imbalances from many angles, which makes it highly adaptable to any situation. For example, an injured shoulder may be addressed by inserting needles in the:
- shoulder
- ankle
- finger
- ear
- or many other locations
The body is a series of patterns, like rivers flowing into the sea, and acupuncture is what clears the rivers so they may flow more easily.
Cupping
Cupping is most often done with glass or plastic jars, which either have a flame or a pump device applied to them in order to create a vacuum in the cup so it’ll create suction and grab onto your body.
This technique delivers something like a reverse massage, instead of pushing tissues down, it picks them up. Picking up the layers of tissue allows them to unstick from one another similar to peeling apart velcro.
When tissues are separated from the surrounding tissue it allows them to glide more easily over one another. This allows to achieve a greater range of motion and decreased tension, achiness, and pain.
Where Do The Cups Go?
Cupping can be done on most areas of the body. Some areas such as bonier spots will not work with cupping. This is a very popular and well-liked tool for reducing tension in the neck, shoulders, and the whole back.
Due to the suction of the cups, it is common for light red to dark purple circles to appear that look like bruises. No need to worry, they will go away on their own after a couple of days to a week.
Electrostimulation Acupuncture
Also known as “E-Stim”, E-Stim is a procedure that uses a machine to connect acupuncture needles with tiny wires. The E-Stim machine sends a small electrical current through the needles. The machine is set at different frequencies and wavelengths to achieve specific results.
You can think of E-Stim as a way to supercharge your acupuncture session.
What Does It Feel Like?
E-Stim connected to acupuncture needles feels as if someone was tapping on your skin where the needle is inserted. Depending on the frequency the machine is set to, this can be a slow tap or a faster tap which feels like a buzzing sensation.
Like the other acupuncture-related tools, this one is also very gentle. After turning the machine on, I will very slowly turn up the machine until you feel the tapping and it is at a comfortable level for you.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is also referred to as “moxa”. Moxa is the term for the therapy that consists of burning dried mugwort, which is an herb. This creates a soothing and warming heat that penetrates deeply into tissues to warm them and increase circulation.
Increasing the circulation in tissues means they will now receive more blood, nutrients, and oxygen that they can use to repair and heal themselves. It also feels very relaxing when receiving a moxa treatment.
What Conditions Is Moxa For?
Moxa can be used almost as diversely as acupuncture needles. It is very effective for mental and emotional type issues such as anxiety, insomnia, and stress.
The moxa is applied by a practitioner holding the moxa roll just above the skin at the level you feel the warm glow of the moxa but also at a safe distance to avoid unwanted pain. The location moxa is applied is dependant on the condition, but it can be used almost anywhere on the body.
Gua Sha
Gua sha is the use of a Gua Sha tool, or sometimes a Chinese soup spoon, as a tool for a scraping massage. When done properly, it has a similar effect to that of cupping. It picks tissues up and “unsticks” them which releases tension and knots in the tissues.
Both cupping and gua sha are recognizable from the red or purple discoloration and dots that are left after their use.
Do I Need Gua Sha?
Gua Sha is fantastic for breaking up adhesions and scar-type tissue where the tissues under the skin become immobile due to repetitive poor posture or trauma. Interestingly enough, it is also very good for treating the common cold and breaking fevers!
Despite the marks it leaves, which are very similar to cupping marks, Gua Sha is a gentle massage-like therapy that promotes a greater range of motion and circulation.
Tui Na
Tui Na refers to a wide array of Traditional Chinese Medicine massage and bodywork. It is usually not the pleasurable and relaxing spa experience kind of massage that many people associate with the acupuncture experience.
It is used to target dysfunction and work through blockages from the most superficial to the deepest levels.
When Do You Use Tui Na?
Tui Na is usually an adjunctive therapy to other Oriental Medicine techniques. A majority of techniques involve the practitioner applying pressure with different parts of their fingers, hands, and elbows.
It also includes a wide variety of exercise-like movements and bodily manipulations to aid the client in moving better, improving health and function and correcting posture.
Qigong
Qigong is the practice of manipulating subtle energy or electricity. It has its roots in ancient philosophy and mysticism, but it is sturdily backed by the sciences, such as quantum physics. When an acupuncture needle is inserted the sensation is generally described as electric, heavy, numb, or tingling. This feeling is the feeling of Qi or subtle energy. Qigong involves manipulating this same sensation, which is the life force energy.
The practice of Qigong is intimate with the breath. Every time you breathe, you move Qi. That is why you feel recharged and more awake when you take full deep breaths.
Controlling The Nervous System
A practitioner of medical Qigong is able to adjust the electromagnetic energy in your body. It is heavily influenced by the intention of the practitioner and the receptivity of the receiver. One of the most notable abilities of Qigong is how it can shift someone into a parasympathetic state, a state of relaxation. There is a reason Qigong was one of the four main branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Therapeutic Bloodletting
Bloodletting is a powerful therapy that can address both acute and longer-term problems, it is often effective for tricky long-standing dysfunctions. Bloodletting is done with either a sterile, single-use, stainless steel lancet or hypodermic needle without the syringe part. A swift prick of the tool in a carefully chosen location and a few drops of blood are drained, that’s it.
A Quick Procedure
The relief often experienced from bloodletting is usually immediate. The few drops of blood that do come out usually tend to be more thick and purple than fresh bright red oxygenated blood. The goal of bloodletting is to open any restricted areas and balance the flow of blood between the deep veins and superficial veins.
Improving Circulation
Removing the old, deoxygenated, non-nutritious blood from the system allows more room for fresh oxygen-rich and nutritious blood to fill the area that was once congested. All of those previously nutrient-starved tissues will now get the resources that they need to function properly.
