What is acupuncture and functional medicine?

This article answers questions about what acupuncture and functional medicine actually are.

Q. What is acupuncture?

A. Acupuncture is the insertion of tiny, solid needles into the body at specific points called “acupoints” that are usually found along energy lines in the body called “meridians” or “channels.” Acupuncture is a therapeutic modality within Chinese Medicine, which was developed over 2,000 years ago and continues to evolve. There are multiple different “systems” and schools of thought within the practice of acupuncture in much the same way that there are multiple different styles of martial arts. Some acupuncturists specialize in particular styles of acupuncture. If you want to try acupuncture in Del Mar, CA, be sure to ask your acupuncturist what style of acupuncture she/he practices. This could make for an interesting and enlightening conversation!

 

Q. What is functional medicine?

A. Functional Medicine is a modern method of healthcare that focuses on finding the underlying causes of diseases and their symptoms. It utilizes advanced methods of objective laboratory diagnosis that are more in-depth than what a conventional doctor would order. For instance, instead of diagnosing you with a disease such as migraine headaches or rheumatoid arthritis, and then prescribing a pain killer for the migraines and a steroid drug for the RA, a functional medicine practitioner would conduct further testing to uncover the root cause of the migraines and the rheumatoid arthritis. An organic acids test can uncover hidden food sensitivities and nutritional deficiencies not picked up by a food allergy test or a standard blood test. A salivary hormone panel may discover adrenal hypo-function that is not apparent upon a single blood measurement of morning cortisol. A fatty acids panel might find that you have an imbalance of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids, therefore causing widespread inflammation and pain. These are just a few examples of tests that a functional medicine practitioner may perform. Many health conditions can then be reversed with targeted nutritional and herbal supplementation over a period of three to six months. Ask about functional medicine diagnostics when you get acupuncture in Del Mar, CA 

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