Acupuncture is the use of sterile, one-time-use needles, which puncture the skin in order to stimulate the body’s qi, or internal energy. The needles are placed in specific points on the body, along various meridians (energetic lines that connect different organs and their energetic components) for therapeutic purposes. Acupuncture can be utilized for a wide range of symptoms and diseases including mental-emotional disorders, physical ailments such as headaches and pain, and internal diseases including gastrointestinal illnesses and endocrinological imbalances. There are over 400 acupuncture points, located along the surface of the body, from the top of the head to the tips of the toes, and everywhere in between.

Sources: **World Health Organization (WHO), National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), and National Institutes of Health (NIH)**

Using specific points in combination have been clinically found to reduce pain and invoke anesthesia, as well as serve to re-establish the body’s natural balance and internal harmony.

“Findings from basic research have begun to elucidate the mechanisms of action of acupuncture, including the release of opioids and other peptides in the central nervous system and the periphery and changes in neuroendocrine function.” (Source: National Institute of Health, NIH)

Acupuncture is a safe, drug-free alternative and complementary modality to Western medicine. It is performed by trained Professionals who have undergone 4 years of training to receive a Master’s Degree, and additional years for a Doctorate.  

Applicants to accredited acupuncture schools must first complete at least two years of study at the baccalaureate level, and many schools require a bachelor’s degree. One must be certified by the  National Certification Council for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), graduate from a ACAOM-accredited program, complete a clean needle technique course offered by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (CCOAM), and pass board exams in the foundations of Oriental medicine, acupuncture, and biomedicine in order to become a licensed Acupuncturist.