In modern Western societies, matter and spirit are seen as detached from each other or as separate distinct aspects of a human being. Spirit is not considered part of the body and vice versa. Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine do not see both body and spirit as detached from each other but as one each affecting the other especially regarding health. Health conditions such as PMS, low back pain or allergies will have some sort of association on an emotional, energetic or mental level.
One’s memories and experiences such as trauma, shock or accumulated stress can affect the energy level of the body and can be seen in symptoms such as fear, anger, grief, worry, anxiety or depression, which can weaken the body especially its immune system.
For over 3000 years, acupuncture Bellingham has been answering the Chinese health needs. TCM believes there are a dozen or so energy channels called meridians in the body. These meridians connect to the surface of the body through acupuncture points or acupoints all over the body. Acupoints are where the needles are inserted when they are trying to heal a disease. Illness results when meridians develop blockages and energy cannot pass through.
By inserting certain acupoints with needles, acupuncture seeks to remove these blockages that cause energy imbalances in the body. The acupoint connects to a specific meridian, which in turn connects to a major organ in the body. The acupoint is not necessarily located to the organ’s location and thus, for addressing an energy imbalance in the kidney, the acupoints in the ear may be treated with acupuncture as the ear has meridians that connect to the kidney. The blockage in the meridian can be likened to debris accumulated in a stream blocking the normal flow of water; one side of the stream is filled with water, the other side lack water flow. When the debris is removed, so shall the normal flow of water be realized once more.
The energy flowing in one’s body is what gives health, strength and growth to the body and the normal unimpeded flow of this energy called Qi or chi in Chinese is what makes for an optimally healthy and fully functioning body and mind. Acupuncture is used exactly to clear away blockages in the meridians.
Sometimes acupuncture is needed not only to treat physical illnesses but the emotional or spiritual ones as well. Unexplainable pain that can not be treated with acupuncture can sometimes be caused by an underlying emotional or psychological problem. A patient suffering from headache may have the cause be a remembering of a traumatic experience. A patient who may be suffering from emotional stress or pressure, may have physical pain such as a headache brought about by the stress. Acupuncture can also be a treatment to heal the mind or even the spirit.