Acupuncture is technique that has been used for 3,000 years to treat illness, prevent disease, and improve wellness. The World Health Organization, U.S. National Institute of Health, and American Academy of Pediatrics have documented and publicized acupuncture’s safety and efficacy for treating a wide range of conditions.

Traditional Chinese medicine operates on the theory that the flow of qi (energy) is essential to health and harmony. Ordinarily, qi circulates like blood throughout the body. When the qi is blocked or stagnant, the body’s lines of communication (meridians) are weakened, resulting in pain or disease.

Acupuncture aims to remove these blockages by stimulating specific locations using very fine needles, which are often only about the size of a hair!

Cupping involves placing cups on the skin to create suction in an area. This facilitates healing by increasing blood flow, which can assist with unblocking qi to relieve muscle tension and reduce pain and inflammation.

Cupping can produce temporary markings that resemble bruises. These are harmless, and usually fade within a few days. You may have seen them on Michael Phelps!

Moxibustion involves burning moxa, a cone or stick made of ground mugwort leaves, on or near the body’s meridians and acupuncture points. The resulting heat helps stimulate the flow of qi throughout the body.

Moxa is perhaps best known for being an alternative way to help with breech presentation, when a baby’s bottom or feet are closer to the birth canal than its head, which can make the birth much more difficult. Moxibustion for breech presentation is typically done around the 34th week of pregnancy.

Gua sha is a massage technique used to relieve pain and muscle tension. It is applied using massage oil and an instrument with a rounded edge, like a ceramic spoon. It improves local circulation, and can help to break up scar tissue or adhesions in muscles and connective tissue. It is also great for treating the common cold or other respiratory conditions.

Like cupping, gua sha can leave temporary markings behind. Often, these appear as small reddish dots that resemble sand, which is where the technique gets its name from!