Welcome to an Encinitas Acupuncture Clinic at Indigo Dragon Center of Health and Wellbeing. We are a small community of alternative medicine practitioners hoping to help you
Find your natural healing
Treatments
Acupuncture is an ancient therapy that has been in use for well over 2000 years. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are both based on fundamental principles of body function and energy flow, and can be used to successfully treat a wide variety of ailments. Acupuncture commonly helps with symptoms of: Autoimmune,
Digestion,
Emotional Health, Gynecology, Thyroid, Immune Systems , Fertility, Pregnancy, Sport Injury, Cancer Support.
Young Living Oils are used in all treatment for calming and uplifting the mind, anti viral and bacterial help, and nourishing the skin with cupping.
To use essential oils in your home connect to our high grade Young Living essential oils here:
“When there is no movement there is pain. Where there is movement there is no pain.”
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is one of the therapies of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with a written history in China of 2000 years but dating back before recorded history. It is currently used by a quarter of the world’s population, mostly in Asia, and its popularity is growing rapidly in the west as scientific trials prove its efficacy. Acupuncture consists of the insertion of extremely fine needles into specific points to regulate the systems of the body and alleviate pain. Acupuncture is used along with herbal medicine and dietary therapy to help the patient heal naturally and completely.
How does acupuncture work?
The Chinese have developed, over thousands of years, a working theory of acupuncture. They discovered pathways along the body that related to the organs and systems of the body, through which “qi” traveled. They found that when there was illness, the qi was blocked, excessive, deficient, or unbalanced. Acupuncture was one way of restoring and balancing the flow of qi. By inserting needles in certain points along the channels and manipulating the qi flowing through those channels, organ function could be regulated. It can relax the muscles and inflammation is reduced. Pain can also be alleviated. Over the thousands of years that have passed, the doctors recorded their observations every generation learning from and improving upon those that came before. Today acupuncture is benefiting from modern research techniques. The exact mechanism is still unknown. If you are interested in recent theories and research please refer to Other Resources.
Is acupuncture safe?
Yes. The acupuncture needle is an extremely fine, disposable (one-use), sterile, FDA approved medical device. A licensed acupuncturist has undergone years of training to insert these needles. When administered by a skilled professional it should not hurt. The hair-thin needles are not to be compared with the thick hypodermic syringes used for shots. The insertion feels like a tug on a body hair. After the needle is inserted their may be a feeling of tingling, a sensation of something moving, a warm feeling, etc. Many find it an enjoyable experience.
How many treatments will I need?
Depending on the nature, severity and duration of the complaint,the course of treatment will vary. Most problems can be fixed quickly, while more chronic conditions may be relieved only with time and effort. The speed of progress with long-standing chronic issues is much determined by the patients willingness to live and eat well in conjunction with the treatment.
“He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the skill of the physician - Chinese Proverb”
What is Chinese herbal medicine?
For well over 2,000 years Chinese herbalists have been studying the medicinal properties of various natural substances in their environment. Through time-tested trial and error, they arrived at safe and effective treatments for many different kinds of illnesses. These Chinese herbalists recorded their experiences and recorded it in various ancient texts, which have been carefully preserved and handed down through time.
Common themes among these herbal texts include the values of prevention, respect for the natural healing power within each individual, the need to understand the interaction between the human body and the natural world, the manifestation of seasonal changes in the human body, and the desire for effective treatments which do not harm the patient’s constitution.
In modern China, herbal medicine remains an extremely popular treatment modality. Many patients in China choose herbal treatment over Western medicine or they use it in combination with modern Western medical treatment for common and complicated illnesses.
When practiced at the height of its potential, Chinese herbal medicine is one of the safest and most effective forms of alternative medicine in the world. Well-trained Westerners who practice Chinese herbal medicine are a rare find, as mastery of this discipline takes years of study and experience.
What is the difference between decoctions, pills?
Decoctions: For internal use the decoction is the strongest and fastest acting of them all. An herbal decoction is made by boiling “raw herbs” (dried Chinese herbal medicine) in a pot usually for between 20 minutes and 1 hour. Because this is not a pre-made formula it can be custom designed to more exactly treat you the individual, as no two patients are ever the same. You can cook the herbs themselves, or have the herbs pre-cooked and sealed into dose-sized vacuum-packed bags.
Pills: Although not as strong as the decoction, pills are very widely used because of the convenience they provide. Also, if you need to take herbs for an extended period of time, the pills are certainly the way to go. They are usually made by making a decoction and then drying it so that all that remains is a concentration of the active ingredients. They are also not as expensive.
