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Acupuncture is an ancient system of healing. The earliest acupuncture books were written 4,500 years ago and today, world-wide, there are over three million practitioners.
Acupuncture began with the discovery that the stimulation of specific areas of the skin affected the functioning of certain organs of the body. It  evolved into a system of healing as the connection between the skin and the organs was better understood and more sensitive ways of stimulation were devised.
In the West, acupuncture has been misladingly publicized as only being helpful in specific conditions, for example, pain or weight loss; whereas, in fact, it is extremely effective in a wide variety of conditions through its power to stimulate our own healing responses. This overall therapeutic effect is one of its great strengths.
Classical Acupuncture is based in Port Jefferson, New York. Christie Harrington is a fully licensed practitioner.
Acupuncture treatment is the process of re-establishing the energy balance. This is done in two ways. One is the insertion of fine, stainless steel needles into acupuncture points, either stimulating or sedating the energy of a specific pathway. The other is the application of warmth to the acupuncture point. These methods are often used in combination. As the balance improves, health improves.
What can acupuncture help?
Many people come to acupuncture for help with a specific symptom or condition. For example:
- anxiety states,
- arthritis,
- asthma,
- back pain,
- circulatory problems,
- depression,
- facial paralysis,
- fibrositis,
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- high blood pressure,
- indeterminate aches and pains,
- infertility,
- menstrual problems,
- migraines,
- rheumatism,
- sciatica,
- skin conditions or ulcers.
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| Extensive practice and Chinese research has shown acupuncture's effectiveness in helping these and many other conditions. The effect of good acupuncture, however, is to do more than simply cure the symptom. Acupuncture directed at restoring the overall energy balance will deal with the condition and also help the patient feel better in a general way. Hence the frequent comment, "I'm feeling better in myself", which refers to such things as increased energy and vitality, greater enjoyment of life, greater confidence, better sleep or more normal appetite.
This approach, where the whole person as well as the symptom is taken into consideration, is referred to as Traditional Acupuncture. It is contrasted with the symptomatic approach which uses treatment formulae for specific conditions and where no heed is paid to the over-all energy balance. Diagnosing and treating the person rather than the disease, is particularly appropriate in two cases. There are some people who feel quite unwell in themselves but do not have a sufficiently seriously or "physical" complaint to present themselves as "sick".
Traditional Acupuncture can diagnose the imbalance and restore well being without the person having a named condition. Many patients also come to an acupuncturist for preventive treatment. An acupuncturist can often detect and treat an energy imbalance before the patient is aware of any symptoms. The aim is to maintain health rather then overcoming a specific condition.
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