Acupuncture in a nutshell

Qi

The starting point for acupuncture therapy is Qi (energy). If you want to read more about Qi and meridians, take a look at my blog where an analogy of Qi is described.

Assuming that everything is a form of Qi, Qi is what connects everything and can make everything communicate with each other. Acupuncture needles activate the Qi in the meridians to heal and transform physical issues. You can read more on the treatment of physical pain and emotional pain.

Holism

In addition to activating the Qi in the meridians to heal and transform physical issues, acupuncture works according to the holistic principle in which every part or process in the body is a representation of the whole. This is originally a Taoist principle. For example, Taoism views man as a part of the universe, but that part is at the same time a reflection of the entire universe. These holistic reflections can be applied at any level, large or small. Translated to acupuncture, one part of the body, e.g. the ear, can be viewed as a reflection of condition of the whole body.

The treatment

One treatment takes just under an hour. Because I only use acupuncture points on the forearm and lower leg, patients can keep their clothes on. After placing the needles (± 10) you will be invited to lie down, and relax for a while. The quiet location and the practice’s sky light through which you can view the sky above, will contribute to you relaxing and your treatment.

Dry needling

Dry needling has been around for many centuries in acupuncture. This technique is increasingly being used by physiotherapists as well. Nodes (trigger points) in muscle tissue are punctured and stimulated with needles so that the painful nodes in the muscles can relax. The trigger points are called Ashi points in acupuncture. “Ashi!” is a Chinese expression for pain, as we say “ouch!” or “ai!” when we feel pain. The big difference between dry needling and Ashi acupuncture in my practice is that the painful nodes themselves are never directly pierced. For example, by placing a few needles in the lower leg, Ashi points in the shoulder muscles are relaxed. This makes it a painless procedure and generally are being experienced by patients as pleasant.

Aanbevelingen voor indicatie van de World Health Organisation

The World Health Organization published a comprehensive report
recognizing the effectiveness of acupuncture.