In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it’s explained that there are pathways, known as meridians, communicating with one another carrying vital energy, called Qi, throughout your body.

Meridians are like rivers. Where a river flows, it transports water that provides nourishment to an array of plants and animals. In the same way, where the meridian pathways flow, they transport Qi and vital substances to nourish your organs and tissues.

When there is a healthy steady current, the river is able to bring nourishment to various destinations. If the water level changes, this can negatively impact the ecosystem. Similarly, when Qi is abundant, your whole system is in harmony and thrives. When Qi becomes obstructed, deficient or excessive, this leads to symptoms that can show up on a physical and emotional level. 

That’s where the practice of acupuncture comes in. Needles are inserted in selected points along the meridians lines to help rebalance your body’s vital energy. Through the lens of Western Medicine, needles stimulate nerve endings and underlying tissues, flooding the area with white blood cells and red blood cells - initiating its healing process. It sends signal to the healing centre of the brain to the rest of the body by triggering the release of neurotransmitters like endorphin (pain reliever) and serotonin (mood stabilizer). Acupuncture regulates the balance between your sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), putting your mind and body into a state of relaxation.

Essentially, by placing needles in certain areas along meridians, this helps improve the free flow of Qi and biochemical balances - promoting physical and emotional well-being.