This is probably the most often asked question by patients. Or…”why are you needling my hand when the pain is in my back?” This is a great question, but can have a simple or more complex answer.
The simple answer, as told to me by my mentors is, “When you turn the lights on in your house, do you screw in the light bulbs? Or flip a switch on the wall?”
Chinese medicine has actively identified, over a period of thousands of years, a network of communication through nerves, vessels and connective tissue, certain points that are effective in treating many conditions. The well- trained acupuncturists know how to activate these points to stimulate a healing response.
The fact is that your whole body is a network of different communication systems. And often times, the lay person has no idea how the body works. Let’s take for example, if you stub your toe. Where would you say the pain is? Most people would say “It’s in my toe” But is that really accurate? The answer is no. The real answer is that the pain is in your brain. Yes, the nerve signaling makes you feel that the pain is in your toe but if a person were to have a traumatic spinal injury, they would feel it when the toe was stubbed. The communication is disconnected.
Early Chinese medical physicians understood that this communication can work in reverse. And they codified it. They discovered that if we can affect certain specific points in the body, it will create a response in the brain. In the case of acupuncture, this means an anti-inflammatory, anti pain, hormonal response, internal opioid response or biochemical response. And centuries of development including the modern use of brain mapping and functional MRI have proven it to be so.
This level of acupuncture is very sophisticated and involves the underlying foundations of meridian theory, Chinese medical philosophy, thousands of clinical hours and experience to be effective. And it is effective….very.
At SOPHIA Natural Health Center, our acupuncturists have a minimum of a masters or doctoral degree in East Asian medicine. They have thousands of treatments under their belt and have successfully treated many conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, digestive issues, hormonal issues, cardiovascular disease and more. For a thorough evaluation and consultation to see if we can help you call our office at 203-740-9300 or visit our website at www.inm.center. Your first appointment is FREE.
Dr. Ken Hoffman, DACM, L.Ac.
Medical Director, SOPHIA Natural Health Center