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Acupuncture is the insertion of two to twenty (and in some cases more) pre-sterilized, disposable, stainless steel needles in the skin. The insertion angle and depth will vary depending on the underlying anatomy of that point. Needles are retained in the skin for 30 minutes on an adult and 2-5 minutes on a child.

There is no single western scientific theory that explains all of the physiological mechanisms underlying the effects of acupuncture. It has a variety of therapeutic effects on the body so the action varies depending on the illness. However, it is proposed that acupuncture works by regulating the nervous system. This regulation aids the activity of pain-killing biochemicals, such as endorphins and immune system cells, at specific sites in the body. Studies have also shown that acupuncture alters brain chemistry by changing the release of neurotransmitters and neurohormones. These affect the parts of the central nervous system related to sensation and involuntary body functions, such as immune reactions and processes that regulate a person’s blood pressure, blood flow, and body temperature.

Cupping therapy involves the attachment of special glass cups on specific parts of the body. Suction is created by briefly introducing a flame into the cup to create a vacuum immediately before application. The cups are left in place for up to ten minutes. Cupping creates a warm, pulling, stretching sensation. The therapy can leave pink marks on the skin which will fade within a week. Cupping is sometimes integrated with acupuncture or massage to treat swelling and pain.

Like gua sha, cupping increases the circulation of blood and lymph within the joints, improves energy flow to the muscles and tendons, and reduces local pressure on the vertebrae of the spine. Cupping also helps draw out and eliminate pathogenic factors from the superficial levels for colds, flu, cough, and asthma because it opens the pores for pathogens to be released through the skin. Cupping is chosen for flat, larger areas of the body, whereas gua sha is can be used in small and rounded areas.

Gua sha therapy is a healing technique used by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is the gentle “scraping” of the skin with a smooth-edged tool and massage oil to draw out trapped toxins. The therapy causes small red spots on the skin called “sha” that will fade in two to three days. Gua sha restores the circulation and qi flow to the areas that are treated. It only brings to the surface what is trapped below. If there is no stagnation in the tissue underneath, there will be no surface marks on the skin above.

Gua sha is often combined with acupuncture or massage and is used primarily on the back, neck, shoulder, and chest, but can also be applied to arms, legs, and joints. The patient experiences immediate gua sha relief from pain, stiffness, fever, chill, cough, and nausea. Gua Sha is useful for the type of pain that is helped by massage but immediately returns, such as chronic pain, sudden stiff neck, awakening with a kink in the body, and pains that come and go. Gua sha is also valuable in the prevention and treatment of acute infectious illnesses, upper respiratory problems, digestive problems, and many other disorders.