Acupuncture uses very tiny needles, much smaller than anything you might encounter at the doctor’s office. Most patients do not feel the needle going in. At most you may experience a tiny prick. Patients will often experience a heavy sensation or pressure when a needle is inserted into a tight muscle.

Acupuncture refers to the insertion of tiny needles to either stimulate or fatigue a particular acupuncture point on a meridian (or energy pathway). Sometimes the needles are barely placed into the skin, other times they are placed deeper and manipulated by twirling depending on the location and desired effect. As with most American practitioners, we use only sterile disposable needles.

Acupuncture balances the body and stimulates it to heal itself on a profound level. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body is an energetic system first. The vital energy that runs through this system is called “qi” and the paths in which it flows are called “meridians.” The substance of the body and all of its functions are dependent upon this flow of qi. When there is a blockage in the flow of qi, disease develops.

There are 12 main meridians or energy pathways that run through the body, along with 8 extra meridians that run very deep into the body and a network of smaller energy pathways (called collateral and divergent meridians) which connect the whole body so that there is no space which is not affected by a meridian.

Acupuncture needles are placed in acupuncture points (which are the same as acupressure points). Acupuncture points are places along the meridians in which the energy pools. Most of them lie in natural depressions in the body and are usually located between muscle bundles and bones. (Western research has found that there is a lower electrical resistance on the surface of the skin at acupuncture points.)

There are numerous scientific studies supporting the efficacy of acupuncture but no adequate scientific theory of how or why it works has been put forth.

Before your first treatment you will be asked to fill out detailed paperwork and health history. Your acupuncturist will then go through a series of questions. Diagnosis includes viewing the patient’s tongue and feeling the pulse. Palpation may also be done depending on the condition such as an injury, muscle tension, or abdominal mass. TCM is based upon pattern differentiation after all of this information is put together. A treatment is then devised which may include needling, moxibustion, cupping, gua sha, medical qigong, etc. Chinese herbs may also be given.

During the actual acupuncture treatment the patient will be asked to undress and get under the covers just like during a massage. When the acupuncture needles are inserted it is common for patients to not realize that the needles have already gone in. At most the patient will feel a tiny prick upon insertion of the needle. It is the degree of manipulation of the needle that can create discomfort. Manipulation is employed in order that the patient might feel “da qi.” That is, to feel the qi or energy being moved through the meridian. This may be experienced as a tingling sensation, a warmth, or even an electric jolt. Some patients prefer this extra manipulation similar to the way that some massage clients prefer deep tissue massage, while most patients prefer to not feel anything but relaxation. Note: The reason our patients don’t feel the needle itself is because of our experience and style in needling and our use of thin needles.

Once the needles are in, patients commonly drift into a state of deep relaxation. You may feel tingling sensations or rushes of warmth as circulation returns to normal, or emotions may come up. After treatment patients often experience an “acupuncture high” that typically lasts 24 hours. There may be immediate relief of symptoms or it may take time to feel the full effects. In cases of injury or severe tension, the patient may experience soreness prior to feeling relief.

Our acupuncturists are experienced with tailoring our treatments, particularly needle size and degree of manipulation, to work with a wide variety of patients. There are many factors that may make a patient more sensitive such as anemia, hormonal fluctuations, chronic pain, or chronic illness. Our acupuncturists typically use 38-36 gauge needles for treatments, and sometimes 40 gauge needles for children and sensitive adults. Seirin needles are always used in sensitive areas.

There is a National licensing board for acupuncture called the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). This board oversees the practice of acupuncture in those states in which acupuncture is legal but which does not have a state board for acupuncture. The state of California has its own board called the California Acupuncture Board (CAB).

Both the NCCAOM and the CAB have databases that can be accessed in order to verify the license numbers of acupuncturists. In the state of California acupuncturists must first complete between 4-5 (and sometimes more) years of schooling (3,000-3,600 hours)at a Board accredited school which includes theory, diagnosis, acupuncture, herbology, Qi Gong, nutrition, classical Chinese texts, Western sciences, and other topics as well as one year of more as a clinic intern treating patients. The degree earned is a Master of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (MATCM) and Master of Traditional Oriental Medicine (MTOM). A rigorous state board exam must also be passed in order to be licensed.

In the state of California it is legal for Allopathic doctors and Osteopaths to practice acupuncture. They are required only to take a weekend course. Due to the complexity of Chinese Medicine, if you choose to go to a Western doctor for acupuncture it is advisable to find one who has elected to undergo more extensive training (at least 2 years of needling and theory). The understanding of the body required to practice allopathic medicine is very different from the understanding of the body required in TCM. Chiropractors must undergo the full 4-5 year acupuncture training in order to be able to needle patients.

The title of “acupuncturist” describes only a portion of what a California licensed acupuncturist is trained to do. Acupuncture is actually just one of several modalities practiced in Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM (alternately called Traditional Oriental Medicine or Traditional Asian Medicine.) Herbal medicine, massage, qigong, nutrition, moxibustion, gua sha, cupping to name a few therapies, evolved together over centuries into what today constitutes TCM. The term TCM is also problematic.

TCM, Oriental Medicine(OM), Chinese Medicine, and Traditional Asian Medicine (TAM) are often used interchangeably. The medicine originated in China and was exported over the years to neighboring countries which modified and developed their own styles. Currently Traditional Chinese Medicine is what is emphasized in most American acupuncture schools with Japanese and Korean styles being also very popular. Cinnabar acupuncturists received the foundation of their training at a lineage-based, Chinese-owned school. However, their current needling style is influenced by Japanese acupuncture. The term Oriental Medicine has often been used to give credit to other traditions based on TCM that evolved in the counties surrounding China that are often used by American practitioners. However, currently many are trying to change the term to the more politically correct Traditional Asian Medicine (TAM). We choose to use the term TCM, though it continues to be a problematic term, because it is the most popular and commonly understood term for our medicine.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has its origins at least 2,500 years ago in China (according to the oldest written records, 5,000 years ago according to some experts.) TCM is an extremely sophisticated, evidence-based, system of medicine. It is not a “folk” medicine as is sometimes referred to in the West , nor is it based on superstitions. In China, hospitals have TCM departments and is practiced side by side with Western Medicine. TCM developed over a few millenia of documented scholarly and practical trial and error carried out on millions of people in different climates. The major challenge of proving the efficacy of acupuncture and TCM in Western clinical trials is not due to any lack of logic or evidence. The main issue is that TCM is inductive. In other words, it looks at the whole picture. What the patient ate for breakfast, his/her constitution, lifestyle, weather, etc. are all relevant factors that affect diagnosis and treatment of a simple headache. Whereas Western medicine is deductive. You must remove as many variables as possible and isolate 1 or 2 things that are changing. This constitutes a “good” experiment. X number of subjects with a headache take Y medication and Z are cured. TCM is too complex to be broken down into this simple model. And yet, even with these issues, acupuncture and TCM still prove themselves effective in Western clinical trials.

The core philosophy of TCM is based on the concepts of Daoism, Buddhism, and Confusionism, although today it is mostly secular in its practice. The focus of TCM is on balancing the Yin and Yang of the body and the 5 elements, which creates a state of health. The ideal is to resolve imbalances before they manifest as serious disease and to achieve a higher standard of health. TCM employs numerous modalities. The most common are acupuncture, herbal medicine (internal and external), moxibustion, nutrition, cupping, tuina (Chinese massage), and Qigong.

Moxibustion is the burning of the leaves of the mugwort plant (Ai Ye; Folium artemesiae). The basic function of moxibustion is to improve circulation and warm the local area or meridian. It is often used in such complaints as aches and pains worse with exposure to cold, poor digestion, and dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain). It is a therapy which greatly strengthens acupuncture treatments in general and is widely used. It is used in a variety of forms.

Cupping is a modality that has traditionally been used across Europe and Asia. A vacuum is created inside glass cups which are placed on the skin. It is commonly employed in cases of colds, chest congestion, muscle tension, and fever. It is a favorite of many patients as it is highly effective to relieve muscle pain.

Qigong is a general term that refers to any number of exercises that are used to focus and move energy throughout the body and are the basis for martial arts, acupuncture, and effectively all of Chinese Medicine. These movements “exercise the qi” and an effect of doing these exercises is that one becomes more aware of of one’s body and one’s surroundings. In our clinic, one or more qigong exercises may be given as homework for our patients.

Herbal Medicine has been systematically developed in China over the course of at least 2,500 years and includes teas, syrups, tinctures, and pills for internal use as well as soaks, masks, and plasters for external use. Chinese herbs are rarely taken alone, with exceptions such as Ginseng. They are most commonly taken in complexly derived formulas which are balanced with other herbs that work synergistically or protect against side-effects. For example, if a patient has a bacterial infection, herbs will be give to kill the bacteria and other herbs will be added to protect the stomach and digestion.

Besides their use during treatments, herbs are often necessary to continue working on a condition in between acupuncture treatments. We offer herbs in pill form, which are most convenient, powder form and in raw herb form, which while much more effective, can be a little more time-consuming.

Acupuncture treatments work by balancing the body’s own energy, so they can be used to aid in the healing of virtually any ailment.

Acupuncture balances the body and stimulates it to heal itself on a profound level. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body is an energetic system first. The vital energy that runs through this system is called “qi” and the paths in which it flows are called “meridians.” The substance of the body and all of its functions are dependent upon this flow of qi. When there is a blockage in the flow of qi, disease develops.

Besides our specialties, Cinnabar acupuncturists have experience with various health concerns such as headaches (migraine, sinus, tension), weight loss, addiction (food, cigarettes, alcohol, drug), and more.
We provide supportive treatment for serious illness such as patients undergoing chemotherapy, autoimmune disease, and degenerative disease.