How Can Acupuncture Add Value to My LIfe?

by Lance David Isakov, M.Ac., L.Ac.

Acupuncture...How can it add value to my life?

In these challenging times, not only do we tend to feel more stress and upsets but we often neglect the part of us that can actually manage those upsets. As a result we miss out on the fruits of our labor - the joy in our life. I’ve got good news: Acupuncture can help!

Acupuncture has received a great reputation for getting rid of pain. News reports and medical studies are proving this fact more and more. However, if you allow it, acupuncture can be much more than a quick fix for pain relief, it can initiate a total shift in your consciousness, allowing you to move with ease through this sea of challenging times. Let me start at the beginning of our ideas about what healthcare is.

We typically have a very compartmentalized way of looking at our health and wellness. Our dis-ease is usually broken down into symptoms, named, and diagnosed. When we are unwell, we often go to the doctor and receive a very particular medicine, or surgery to take care of very particular symptoms. Five-Element Acupuncture is a complete system of medicine, that looks at the symptom in the context of the whole person and instead of muting the symptom, it finds the source.

Let me explain:

You’re driving along in your brand new solar powered, wind charged, hybrid convertible sports car (I wish) and that darn “maintenance” light comes on. Now, you have a few ways of handling it. One way is to cover that annoying light with masking tape and voila! Problem solved. Well at least until the car breaks down because the solar flux capacitor fails. In the long run this would be a quite expensive solution. Another possibility is to take the car into the shop and have them find the cause of the maintenance signal.

Luckily, it turns out that you just need to add some solar flux capacitor fluid and you are on your way! Both choices make the light go out, which one would you choose?

In us, the maintenance light represents a symptom. It might be a headache, back pain, depression, stress, anxiety, being overweight or any other in a multitude of signals we humans get to experience. We again have choice about how to fix these warning lights. One option is to take an Advil for that headache, numbing the alarm. Another possibility it to learn about the underlying imbalance the headache is trying to tell us about. You may be simply dehydrated! Both choices turn off the headache. Only one action actually corrects the problem.

All of our upsets, pains, or irritations, physically or emotionally, are trying to let us know that something in our lives is not on target. You may be depressed because you are not fulfilled by your job. Not to say it’s a bad job, it’s just not YOUR job. You’re suited for something else. Something in your life is missing.

Like clearing away tree limbs and boulders from a turbulent or stagnant stream assists in the smooth flow of water, clearing blocks or imbalances in the energy channels (meridians) assists in the smooth flow of Chi (life force) in the body.

Acupuncture works by creating movement, through inserting sterile, solid, hair-fine needles into particular points along the meridians. Chi flows through us just below the surface of the skin much like water flows in rivers on Earth. When Chi is teeming, we experience balance, harmony and lush abundance in our body, mind and spirit. When it’s not, we may feel pains, stresses, or upsets; like we’re just not getting what we need to thrive.

Once we know what it feels like to be centered in ourselves and truly well, we can begin to recognize our symptoms as the signals they are. When you know the cause of the signals, your long-term health is back in your control!

There are different styles of acupuncture and different kinds of acupuncturists. If you are interested, I recommend calling a few practitioners in your area to chat. Trust yourself, you will know who is right for you. In the Philadelphia area, treatments range from $50-$200. Your first session may involve a physical exam and an interview used to create a personalized treatment plan. Treatments are done weekly in the beginning, then they are spaced out as balance begins to hold. Eventually treatments are needed just once a season to help you stay in tune. Naturally this depends on your particular needs.

Acupuncture is a wonderful instrument to enhance your life. It can not only help bring relief from your symptoms but also give you the tools to take on your challenges in a new way. Acupuncture has been around for over 3000 years, take the next step, make an appointment and find it out why!

For more information visit Wayne Family Wellness