Acupuncture, as practiced in Integrated HealthCare Clinics, Inc., is the insertion of thin, sterile, disposable needles into the body at specific points, which have been mapped by the Chinese throughout over 2000 years of clinical experience. The stimulation of these points, which have been recently confirmed by electromagnetic research, results in the successful treatment of specific disorders.

According to a publication by The World Health Organization, acupuncture is suitable for treating the following conditions:

• Ear, nose, and throat disorders, including tooth aches, pain after tooth extractions, gingivitis, acute or chronic otitis, acute sinusitis, acute rhinitis, nasal catarrh, and acute tonsillitis.
• Respiratory disorders, including uncomplicated bronchial asthma in children and adults.
• Gastrointestinal disorders, including spasm of the esophagus and cardiac sphincter, hiccup, acute or chronic gastritis, sour stomach, chronic duodenal ulcers, acute or chronic colonitis, acute bacillary dysentery, constipation, diarrhea, and paralytic ileus.
• Eye disorders, including acute conjunctivitis, central retinitis, nearsightedness (in children), and uncomplicated cataract.
• Neurological and muscular disorders, including headaches, migraines, trigeminal neuralgia, facial paralysis, post-stroke paresis, peripheral neuritis, neurological bladder dysfunction, bedwetting, intercostal neuralgia, cervical syndrome, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, sciatica, low back pain, and osteoarthritis.

Usually, needles are inserted 1/4 to 1 inches into the skin. This is a painless process, although proper stimulation of acupuncture points may occasionally result in mild temporary discomfort, such as distention, tingling, cramping, or electric sensation either around the needle or travelling up or down the affected energy pathway or meridian. In addition to needle insertion, the practitioner may choose associated therapies, such as moxibustion, cupping, electronic stimulation, magnetotherapy, acupressure or Shiatsu. Our practitioners will explain to you the nature of each approach chosen for your individualized therapy.

Although different styles of acupuncture exist (from China, acupuncture has spread and developed in other countries), they are all based on the ancient Chinese theory of the flow of Qi (energy) in the body through multiple channels or meridians. Acupuncture may provide its benefits by regulating this flow of Qi, shunting it towards areas of deficiency and draining it from areas of excess, thus enhancing and restoring the body's harmonious energetic balance.

Acupuncture is a licensed and regulated health care profession in approximately half of the United States, including Minnesota. At Integrated HealthCare Clinics, Inc., acupuncturists are both licensed and board certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists (Dipl. Ac. / NCCA). These certified practitioners have been trained to diagnose and treat your condition in accordance with the principles of Chinese medicine. They will individualize a treatment program that is appropriate in frequency and duration, based on the severity, chronicity, and nature of your complaints. Many acute conditions made only require a few treatments, yet some degenerative conditions may require dozens of treatments. Any concern you may have should be addressed with integrity and promptness.

To maximize the benefit from acupuncture, you should wear loose clothing before treatment (no tight stockings and no one-piece dresses, please). Do not wear jewelry (to prevent loss). Good personal hygiene will help reduce the possibility of bacterial infection. As a general rule, try to avoid treatment when excessively fatigued, hungry, full, emotionally upset, or shortly after sex.

During treatment, try to relax as much as possible, and avoid sudden movements or change of position. If you experience nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, faintness, or cold sweats, you may be experiencing "Needle shock," and your practitioner will withdraw the needles. Needle shock is primarily due to anxiety in first-time patients, and rarely happens if the patient is treated lying down. In the unlikely event that you find acupuncture difficult to tolerate, please inform the practitioner at once.

After the treatment, you may immediately experience total or partial symptom relief of varying duration. In a few cases, the pain may seem initially worse, only to improve the next day. Often, the most dramatic results are experienced after the first treatment. However, additional and gradual improvement should occur after each subsequent visit. In some cases, the improvement of symptoms may be delayed until a few days after the treatment. Either way, you should be aware that the effectiveness of acupuncture has been recently validated by clinical studies published in several countries, and that acupuncture's vast healing potential is just starting to unfold.

Although a large variety of conditions will respond favorably to Chinese medicine (see The Treatment of Knotty Diseases), no single modality of care can provide the answer to all ailments. At Integrated HealthCare Clinics, Inc. you may combine acupuncture with nutritional, biochemical, emotional, and structural therapeutic modalities to maximize your benefit from acupuncture and to help you achieve vibrant health.