Acupuncture TCM Treatment – A natural stimulation of your body to find it’s own balance
This is a treatment for many – less pain, less stress, less tension, and a natural way of helping your body find more balance. While we all lead such beautifully unique and different lives, with different stresses, different training styles, different areas of pain and different bodies – acupuncture treatment provides benefits to your system that truly everyone can achieve a more holistic wellness from.
Acupuncture is all about accessing the nervous system through some very specific and very important points, ‘acupoints’, in our body: points where it is believed our energy (chi) collects. By stimulating these points through acupuncture treatment, we can access our energy systems, and give our body a subtle nudge towards allowing the body to balance itself. And while ‘chi’ is perhaps a term applicable to the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) philosophies, these specific acupoints actually mean a lot in modern Western medicine as well. These points are road marks along the complex branches of our body’s nervous system, inflammatory system and lymphatic systems: serving as extremely powerful markers to improve multiple processes of our body and achieve a greater level of holistic balance and wellness.
Benefits & Power of Acupuncture Treatments for different systems of the Body
Relief of Stress, Tension + Fatigue: The Nervous System
Each of our acupoints are close to a lot of nerves. Nerves in our limbs (we call them peripheral nerves) serve as routes of communication back to the brain: communicating a problem or an imbalance, triggering the brain to then take it’s own actions to find that balance in your body again. By gently and precisely stimulating certain neural pathways with each acupuncture point – we can re-balance a number of systems associated to the nervous system.
1. Down Regulation of Sympathetic Nervous System (Switching off “Fight or Flight” Mode)
One of the major functions of our nervous system is making sure that in high stress situations – we have the ability to perform to keep ourselves alive. We call this our “fight or flight” mode – when we release adrenaline and run on stress energy. One of our most prevalent problems, is as we endure so many stresses in every day life, we sometimes struggle to switch this “fight or flight” mode OFF. This means – we struggle to relax, we go through severe highs and lows of energy levels, we hold onto our stress and anxiety more, and our bodies don’t have the change to recover properly.
Acupuncture can help down regulate that system. By this, we mean it relaxes your stress energy system – and dismisses your “fight or flight” response, allowing you to instead find your calm and looseness. This is one major reason why acupuncture is so commonly linked to less stress, and greater recovery (but there is other reasons this happens – read on!)
2. Stimulation for Endorphin Release
Acupuncture is also well known to stimulate an endorphin release from your brain. Endorphins are a natural chemical within your brain – our own naturally occurring pain killers. Endorphins are also connected to the release of another brain chemical called serotonin (our “feel good” chemical) – and help to achieve the same light and happy mood that we feel after a long and rewarding workout.
This endorphin release can help significantly with pain, and is one of the major reasons why those with injuries enjoy acupuncture as a treatment so thoroughly (especially chronic conditions, neck, or lower back pain).
Relief of Inflammation + Pain, and Boosted Immunity: Inflammatory System
Each of our acupoints are also close to a lot of what we call mass cells. Mass Cells are responsible for regulate our immune system – our defence system. Our immune system looks after our body not just in fighting off colds each and every winter, but also in repairing damaged cells (our recovery from injury and training) and boosting our inner wellness as well.
One major factor of Traditional Chinese Medicine is looking at the body as a whole. Considering all the different parts of your body, and elements of your wellness, to ensure that you feel balanced and well in every aspect. Your immune system’s strength is an amazing example of this. When you feel run down with less energy, or a little more sore all over – it’s likely that your immune system is struggling a little. Acupuncture helps to remind your body to listen to those cells, and find your balance within your body again.
Improved Healing + Circulation: Lympathic System
And finally, each of our energy points are close to a lot of lymphatic points and vessels. Our lymphatic system is responsible for regulating our circulation. Circulation means the delivery of nutrients to every structure in your body: more blood flow, more oxygen delivery. By increasing our blood flow we are able to nourish our joints and muscles, and boost their health and recovery.
While controversial in it’s scientific foundations, and a little difficult to understand for many, the results and effects of acupuncture tend to advocate this treatment style for itself. For many, Acupuncture seems like magic when people are in physical pain or have severe headaches. Acupuncture has been seen as a useful tool for many different pain symptoms including back and neck pain, osteoarthritis/knee pain, and headaches, including migraines.
Acupuncture is a complex treatment, and our specialist acupuncturists are so very knowledgable – but the benefits are truly quite simple:
– Re-balances your body for holistic wellness
– Relieves Pain
– Improves Stress & Anxiety
– Promotes Relaxation
– Improves energy levels
– Enhances muscular and joint recovery through increased blood flow and nourishment
Does Acupuncture HURT?
Generally – No. While acupuncture certainly is the direct insertion of needles, its important to understand that these needles are significantly smaller than those you are used to at a hospital – they’re about the same size as a hair. Also unlike a hospital where you’re nervous and in a tense environment, one core principle of the acupuncture treatment is that the treatment room promotes relaxation and calm. Think aromas, gentle music, comfortable props, and an acupuncturist who talks you through the process. Yes there’s needles, but this is a completely different experience than most associate with needles.
Getting Started with Acupuncture and Other Forms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) at Elements Studio:
We have a very special and expert lead acupuncturist within our Studio, Leanne Gerich, who provides both acupuncture, herbology and TCM treatments every Thursday. Book in for a 1-on-1 treatment either via our app, our website, or via reaching out to us for more information!
We also run a very special class within our studio, called “Yin + Pins”. This class is led by our resident acupuncturist and yogi Leanne, and provides a nourishing reset combining acupuncture with a delicious yin. Within this class you’ll reset your fascia during deep releasing yin poses – then get comfy in savasana amongst blankets and bolsters before receiving a gentle distal acupuncture treatment – a unique combination of hand, foot, head, or face needles chosen specifically to help you dive deep into rest and relaxation. You’ll float away as you create more space in the body while the pins work their subtle magic. Come and shift your consciousness and leave feely deeply nourished.
Book in for your one-on-one treatment with our acupuncturist, Leanne.
Book in for our signature Yin + Pins class inside Elements Studio.
