What is different about Classical Five Element Acupuncture?

In Classical Five Element Acupuncture, it is believed that there is one main source of imbalance which triggers the manifestation of varying symptoms throughout the body. Unless the treatment is directed to helping with the original imbalance, any other treatment would be considered a symptomatic treatment which is not treating the root cause of a problem.

Although modern TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), the most widely practiced form of acupuncture in the world, shares much with Classical Five Element Acupuncture, TCM is more focused with treating symptoms rather than the root imbalance.  It is a system of medicine that is roughly 50 years old and is gradually being converted into becoming allopathic in its diagnosis and treatment.

In addition, Classical Five Element Acupuncture treatments are very interactive and the practitioner remains in the room during the entire treatment.

But, I thought TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) Acupuncture treats the root cause of a problem?

Not exactly, but with a little explanation it should be easy to understand.

What significantly distinguishes Chinese Medicine, as a whole, from other healing modalities is the understanding of the organs and their associations with different parts of one’s entire being.  For example, it is understood that the liver is associated with health of one’s sinews (tendons, ligaments, etc.), eyes and vision, the emotion of anger, etc.  The kidneys, in addition, are associated with the health of one’s bones, low back, ears and hearing, the emotion of fear, etc.

From a TCM practitioner’s perspective, if a patient presents with low back pain, he/she would most likely be diagnosed the patient with a deficiency in kidney function be treated for it.

However, in Classical Five Element Acupuncture, the approach would be to identify a patient’s root imbalance, which could also be considered as one’s weakest link.  In the above example, if a Classical Five Element practitioner happens to identify that the root imbalance of the patient is coming from the lungs he/she would design a treatment plan to strengthen the patient’s weakest link (there are numerous causes for low back pain).  It is important to understand the difference between the two approaches because the TCM approach can and often does create  further imbalance.  It may temporarily alleviate the symptom but it could also disrupt the proper flow of Qi or energy in the entire system.

The Classical Five Element approach would be the holistic approach because of the following reasons:

1 even though the manifestation of a low back pain is superficially associated with weak kidneys, the Classical Five Element Acupuncturist understands that it is the weak lungs that is really causing the low back pain.

2  the whole system is only as strong as the person’s weakest link.

I still don’t get it.  Can you explain all of this in a different language?

Ok, here is a very easy to understand analogy about the 3 main types of treatment available in healthcare.  Let’s use the car analogy of the “check engine” light that comes on.  The “check engine” light symbolizes a physical symptom whether it’s a back pain, liver damage, headache, infertility, etc.

The purely symptomatic approach would attempt to shut the light off by cutting the wire, removing the bulb, or by removing the battery.

The TCM practitioner would attempt to shut off the light by resetting the computer chip in the car so that the light is temporarily turned off.  (This approach typically requires treating the patient numerous times per week for months because the continuous “resetting” has to be done in order to suppress the symptom)

The Classical Five Element Acupuncture approach would perform a thorough examination to find out what’s really going on inside the car.  Once the problem has been identified it is fixed and the light turns off on its own.

What should I be aware of when looking for an acupuncturist?

In recent years, the practice of acupuncture has become extremely popular and accepted which has resulted in the proliferation of practitioners.  First and foremost, it is important for “you” as a potential patient to be knowledgeable of the different types of practitioners in the field of acupuncture. You need to know the extent of their education, licensure, credentials and training, as well as experience.

Licensed Acupuncturists are the most commonly found practitioners who have completed 3,500 hours of education in addition to internship.  The second most commonly found practitioners are known as Medical Acupuncturists who are either Medical Doctors or Chiropractors who have completed a 200-hour curriculum.  While there is a significant difference in educational background, there also tends to be a big difference in the administration of treatments and efficacy.

Classical Five Element Acupuncture is a system that is not symptom-based in its diagnosis and treatment, however it is truly about understanding the person at a much deeper level and healing the whole person at their core.

What conditions can Classical Five Element Acupuncture help with?

Since the treatments are designed to treat the true root cause of imbalance in a person’s system, Classical Five Element Acupuncture is able to help not only with physical ailments but also ailments of the mind and spirit. Some common conditions that are helped by Classical Five Element Acupuncture include, but not limited to: Anxiety, Depression, different kinds of pain, menstrual problems, infertility, speech problems, sleep disorders, digestive disorders, ADD, ADHD, schizophrenia and other mental disorders, phobias, addiction, and much, much more.

Do you take insurance?

We would be more than happy to check for you if your insurance has acupuncture coverage.  If you do have coverage, we will file  the claim/s to your insurance company.

What should I expect during my first visit?

Your first visit will last approximately 2 hours and is divided into 2 parts: Traditional Diagnosis and First Treatment.

Traditional Diagnosis involves getting to know you as a person and also getting to know your system to evaluate your current state of health.  In Classical Five Element Acupuncture, the most important part is to correctly diagnose which of the Five Elements a person falls under constitutionally.  This part is both an art and a science and truly requires experience, strong and natural keen instincts, as well as skill.  In addition to being evaluated, there will be specific procedures that will be performed to correct any imbalances in your system.  This part is very in-depth and very helpful.

After being evaluated and all imbalances in the circulation of Qi in the body corrected, you are now ready for your first treatment.  This treatment will be customized for each person and is completely based on the findings from your Traditional Diagnosis.  We do our best not to give too much information as to how you will feel or what changes to expect because we would rather you tell us.

Do the needles hurt?

While most areas in the body produce little to no sensation when needled, there is a rare chance that a patient may experience a mild prick. From experience, this prick is less than that of a mosquito bite.

How long do treatments last?

Most treatments last approximately an hour.