Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical therapy used to treat a vast array of ailments. The procedure is performed by inserting long, extremely thin needles into various points in the body.
These points are charted out along lines in the body called meridians, and the presence of acupuncture needles for a duration of time is thought to free these zones and allow vital energy to flow more freely through the body. According to the theory behind acupuncture, there are twelve of these meridians that are considered to be central pathways for this vital energy, called Qi, along with eight extra meridians that control the ‘Extraordinary Pathways.’ Any of these can be tapped with filiform needles in order to release Qi, but it is primarily the twelve main plus two of the extra meridians that are accessed in most forms of treatment. Each of the twelve main channels corresponds to an organ of the human body.
This type of treatment is generally used in the treatment of chronic or ongoing conditions, ranging from auto-immune diseases to migraine headaches and localized pain.