Megan Long
2501 Jolly Road, Suite 120
Okemos, MI 48864
517-381-0299 |
Long Acupuncture, Inc.
www.longacupuncture.com
Traditional Chinese Medicine has been practiced for thousands of years to restore, promote and maintain good health. It originated in China over 3000 years ago and has evolved into a well-defined therapeutic health care system capable of treating a wide variety of disorders. It is an extremely effective and safe choice for initial and on going health care. Acupuncture can remedy acute or chronic ailments, relieve pain, enhance recuperative powers and strengthen the immune system.
What is Acupuncture?
It is a method of balancing and building the body’s life force energy known as qi (pronounced chee). Acupuncturists recognize particular pathways called meridians through which this energy circulates. Traditional Chinese medicine views disease as the result of an imbalance or blockage in the body’s natural energy flow. This imbalance or blockage can result from trauma, poor diet, medications, stress, hereditary conditions, environmental factors or excessive emotional issues. Such imbalances manifest in physical pain or illness, and/or emotional and psychosomatic stress-related disorders. In acupuncture, very thin, sterile, stainless steel needles are inserted into specific points along the meridians in order to disperse the blockage and mobilize the body’s natural immune response to restore balance. These points have been studied and mapped by Chinese practitioners over thousands of years. Recently, electromagnetic research has confirmed point locations.
How Does it Work?
Modern Western medicine cannot fully explain how acupuncture works. There have been studies that show a release of endorphins occurs in the body during acupuncture. Endorphins are naturally produced chemicals that control pain perception, alter sensory perception, mood and alertness reaction. This release of endorphins could account for a reduction of pain and relaxed state experienced by the patient. With the use of fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), it has been shown that an acupuncture point on the foot used for eye disorders does in fact stimulate the visual cortex of the brain. This would suggest that there is more to acupuncture than just a release of endorphins. Exactly how or why this happens has yet to be fully understood in Western terms. One possible explanation is based on research by Dr. Helene Langevin from the University of Vermont asserting that acupuncture points tend to lie over areas where connective tissue is the thickest (connective tissue forms a web that runs continuously through the body and has many nerves). Perhaps this is why a needle in one extremity would affect a seemingly unrelated area. Despite the lack of a cohesive Western explanation of acupuncture, the system has been found to work for a wide variety of conditions.
Does Acupuncture Hurt?
The needles are extremely thin therefore the patient feels only a slight sensation at insertion if anything at all. When the needle reaches the acupuncture point beneath the skin, a characteristic feeling of heaviness or tingling, dull ache or traveling warmth may be experienced. If any sensation is felt, it is generally very mild. People are surprised to find that treatments are quite relaxing, many patients even fall asleep on the table. Only sterile, single use disposable needles are used.
Megan Long earned her Master of Science degree in Oriental Medicine from Southwest Acupuncture College (SWAC) in Santa Fe, New Mexico. There she received more than 2,645 hours of specialized education, of which over 1,200 hours were in clinical training. She earned her National Board Certification with the successful completion of exams administered by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). She has been in private practice in Michigan since December 2000. Megan has taken many continuing education courses including those specializing in pain management and infertility treatment.
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