Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or Oriental Medicine as it is also commonly referred, is a form of medicine that is more than 2000 years old. TCM has gone through many changes over the past few centuries and the form we practice today has been tried, tested and proved. It was introduced to North America in the1970s and has thrived here ever since. Acupuncture, Moxibustion (the use of the different forms of the herb Mugwort), Tui Na massage, Herbal Medicine and Dietary therapy are all different modalities under the umbrella of TCM.
Acupuncture is the use of needles to activate points present on meridians. Meridians are channels running throughout the body like a vast river system, carrying Qi, the fundamentalsubstance of life. Qi flows within channels or meridians that are connected to our internal organs. Each meridian has a set number of points and the needles are inserted into these points to regulate the flow of Qi in the channels or organs. Needles are not inserted very deeply and do not touch any nerves or veins. Our bodies are equipped with the necessary tools for healing and acupuncture is the stimulus.