Acupuncture is part of a 5000 year-old system of holistic medicine. It’s been used in many parts of the world and has helped countless people. In the few decades since its introduction to the West, it has become one of the most proven and well-known forms of alternative therapy that exist in the United States today. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) recognize acupuncture as a safe and effective treatment for a wide range of health concerns ranging from infertility, nausea, and pain to smoking cessation, overeating and more.
Acupuncture understands that pain and symptoms of disease are a byproduct of energetic imbalance. Because we are self-healing organisms, when the balance of energy is disturbed, symptoms and challenges result. Acupuncture corrects the imbalance by stimulating the body’s natural ability to heal. Symptoms and challenges are not here to victimize or make us suffer but rather a part of the intricate and ancient language of the body to awaken us to the energetic pattern that was originally disconnected from. Illness occurs when too much or too little life force or energy exists within the energetic pathways of the body that lead to the organs, muscles and nerves. This life force is known as “qi”. Qi can stagnate and block the pathways causing pain and discomfort. Acupuncture involves the use of very fine, hair-like, pre-sterilized, disposable needles. They are placed at specific points on the energetic pathways to stimulate restoration of the smooth, harmonious flow of qi. Used to treat both symptoms and the underlying condition, acupuncture is a powerful medicinal form. At the Chicago Stress Relief Center we understand that the energy that acupuncture moves and balances is emotion. We create a safe and soothing environment so that the e-motion can once again move, change, and flow. The end result is more health and wellness in our body and our lives.
Description of Session
Plan an hour and 15 minutes for your first acupuncture treatment. After filling out an intake form about your medical history and the main complaint that brings you in for treatment, you will be escorted into a tranquil treatment room. Chinese diagnoses, or patterns, are different than Western diagnoses. A thorough intake asks questions about sleep, appetite, energy level, pain and headaches, hearing and vision, etc. Then your practitioner will look at your tongue and feel your pulse patterns in order to diagnose the flow of your energy.
Based on your body’s pattern, your practitioner will choose somewhere between 8 and 20 points for acupuncture. You may or may not feel a slight pinch upon insertion of some needles. The process is known as painless and highly relaxing. All needles are pre-sterilized, stainless steel, single-use and hair thin. The needles are remain for approximately 30-40 minutes. Once they are removed, the practitioner will perform any accessory modalities that are appropriate for you, such as cupping, guasha or ear seeds.
Services Offered
Acupuncture: the insertion of small, hair-thin needles to treat an energetic imbalance.
Cupping: a cup is applied to the skin and the pressure in the cup is reduced (by suctioning out air), so that the skin and superficial muscle layer is drawn into and held in the cup.
Guasha: repeated pressured strokes over lubricated skin with a smooth edge.
Tuina: brush, knead, roll/press and rub areas in pain.
Dietary Consults: dietary changes can be recommended as needed.
Supplements: herbal, vitamin, homeopathic and food based supplements and remedies can be recommended as needed to enhance the efficacy of treatment.
Qi Gong: the philosophy and practice of aligning breath, physical activity and awareness for mental, spiritual, and corporeal health, as well as the development of human potential.