What is an Acupuncture Point and Meridian?
Acupuncture points and meridians are specific areas of the body, which through time have been shown to reduce certain symptoms and patterns when treated with massage, needles, or heat stimulation. Meridians are pathways of energy that run through out a specific area of the body and connect to a correlating organ. These pathways contain energy referred to as Qi. When a blockage, excess, or deficiency of qi occurs in an organ or meridian the health and balance of the body is affected.
Over time symptoms are produced by this imbalance. When acupuncture points are stimulated, the blockage, excess, or deficiency is eliminated and balance is restored to the body. The symptoms reduce as more balance is obtained. Eventually the patient feels better and the symptoms subside.
Acupuncture is not a one-time quick fix solution. Often if symptoms are more superficial and less severe, then results are faster and much more dramatic. However, if a condition has persisted for some time, results may be more gradual. People often get some immediate change in their condition. A typical course of treatment is 10-20 sessions for a chronic condition with maintenance treatments afterward or 5-10 sessions for some acute conditions; however, individual results differ greatly.