Acupuncture is one of the world’s oldest forms of healing. Its origins date back more than 5,000 years to ancient China, and it continues to be a primary method of medical treatment today. Although often described as a means of pain relief, it is in fact used to treat people with a wide range of illnesses. The focus of acupuncture is on improving the overall well-being of the patient, rather than only the isolated treatment of specific symptoms. According to traditional Chinese philosophy, our health is dependent on the body’s motivating energy—known as Qi—moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of meridians (channels) beneath the skin.

Qi consists of equal and opposite qualities—Yin and Yang—and when these become unbalanced, illness may result. By inserting hair-thin needles into specific points on the body, acupuncture stimulates the body's own healing response and helps restore its natural balance. The flow of Qi can be disturbed by a number of factors, including poor nutrition, weather conditions, hereditary factors, infection, poisons, trauma, and emotional states such as anxiety, stress, anger, fear, and grief. The principal aim of acupuncture in treating the whole person is to restore the equilibrium between the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of the individual.