Joel Blakeslee, a licensed acupuncturist and certified massage therapist and has been part of our staff for almost eleven years.

Acupuncture works by using needles to access the Qi (pronounced "chee") or vital energy at acupoints, and manipulating that energy in specific ways. One can either supplement, drain, or move the Qi in order to restore the proper flow of energy through the meridians (pathways for Qi) in the body.

Meridians are similar to rivers or little energy highways in the body. They are all interconnected and correspond to specific organ systems and flow in designated directions. Whenever Qi is stuck in a specific area, something happens like a logjam in a river or a traffic jam on a highway, and that part of the body will react, becoming painful or manifesting signs of pathology in an area associated with its correspondent organ system. Similarly, when there is not enough Qi flowing in a certain meridian, symptoms such as weakness and fatigue may occur, signaling that not enough nourishment is being circulated to all or part of the body. Or if the energy goes the wrong way in a meridian, like an errant car traveling the wrong way down a one way street, other types of imbalance will arise.

What are the needles like?
Acupuncture needles are far different from the hypodermic needle used to give injections. The needles are solid and are inserted to a shallow depth. They are pre-sterilized, individually packaged, disposable needles, absolutely insuring that there is no contamination or transmission of disease possible. They are usually painless upon insertion, but you may feel a slight pricking, numbness, heaviness, or distended sensation in the area around the needle when it is planted. The sensations usually last only a moment.

What are acupuncture points and meridians?
Acupuncture points are those areas on the body that have been shown to have an influence on pain or body function when stimulated by a needle, pressure, or heat. These points are quite small, and exact location is important for attaining maximum benefit from a given treatment. By inserting needles into points on the meridian pathways, the normal flow of energy may be restored and balanced. The points are organized into twelve classic meridians which are named after the organ systems to which they correspond. There are also eight extra meridians which have distinct functions and address specific conditions.

How many treatments are necessary?
It is usually recommended that a series of six to ten treatments be given, initially. However every case is unique, and some can be resolved in only one or two treatments.

What are the side effects of acupuncture?
One of the greatest advantages of acupuncture is the absence of serious side effects associated with its use. Rarely, there may be some slight bruising around the area where a needle was placed.