To this day, there is still a lot of mystique around acupuncture. As a form of traditional Chinese medicine, even those who receive acupuncture regularly may not realize that what they’re receiving is probably a Westernized version.
What is TCM Acupuncture?
There are a lot of Black Friday deals on acupuncture supplies on the way this season. A small percentage of these will be bought by those practising traditional Chinese acupuncture. Traditional acupuncture is built off the belief of restoring energy flow in the body.
Qi is often talked about when discussing TCM acupuncture. Qi, pronounced ‘chi’, is vital energy. It is believed qi flows through circulatory channels in the body, connecting various organs and influencing how our internal systems function. When there are energy blockages, this is when chronic health issues can present or when functioning slows down in efficiency.
TCM acupuncture releases those blockages. The technique is actually quite similar to Western acupuncture in a lot of ways, however, in diagnosing what a person’s problem may be, the diagnosis is culled together from examining things like a person’s tongue, the shape of the ears, and other aspects of a person’s physical condition that Western medicine may ignore or devalue.
Qi, yin, yang, and Eastern philosophy is ultimately used to guide how acupuncture is done under TCM.
What is Western Acupuncture?
Western acupuncture is often argued as ‘evidence-based’ although this term may be a little unfair. Western approaches to acupuncture use a scientific understanding of physical anatomy relating to activating what are called ‘acupoints’. These are spots that correspond to distant regions of the body.
Like TCM acupuncture, Western acupuncture is seen as safe. Most people consider Western acupuncture as safer, however. The acupuncture points are very similar, however, Western acupuncture tends to stick to the back and won’t touch areas that TCM will.
Some eastern practitioners, for example, may treat chest pain by needling over the chest. A Western practitioner wouldn’t normally do this out of fear of needling the art or collapsing a lung.
Both types of acupuncture can be used to treat back pain, headaches, and migraines, among other health conditions. Furthermore, both TCM and Western acupuncture can make use of the same acupuncture supplies deals as they both use the same type of needles.
Where Can I Buy Acupuncture Supplies?
No matter what kind of acupuncture you practice, it’s important to have clean, high-quality needles at the ready. A great way to relieve muscle spasms, discomfort, and tightness, acupuncture has many uses but without the right tools, that’s a problem.
There is a big Black Friday sale on right now at Lierre.ca and it’s a great time to pick up acupuncture needles for both TCM and Western practitioners. Shop them today.