Oriental medicine is a comprehensive system of healthcare with a continuous clinical history of over 3,000 years. Oriental medicine includes acupuncture, Chinese herbs, moxibustion, cupping, bodywork, dietary therapy, and exercise based on traditional Oriental Medicine principles. These therapies work with the natural vital energy inherent within all living things – promoting the body’s ability to heal itself.

Oriental medicine is based on an energetic model rather than the biochemical model of Western medicine. Chinese medical theory recognizes a vital energy, called qi, which passes through pathways in our bodies. Each pathway is associated with a particular physiological system and internal organ. This qi (pronounced “chee”), can become disrupted in its flow – due to dietary and lifestyle imbalances – and thus pain, symptoms, and disease will ensue. Acupuncture is a simple procedure in which needles are gently placed at precise points on the body so as to affect the imbalance in energy. The acupuncturist arrives at a point prescription based on a diagnosis of the patient’s unique constitution and health concerns.