Acupuncture is a branch of Chinese medicine in which needles are inserted into the skin as a therapy for various illnesses or injuries. Health problems result when one of the channels is blocked. To restore health, acupuncturists insert needles at specific points along the meridians. The condition being treated determines where needles are inserted, how many needles are used and the precise technique of insertion. A typical acupuncture treatment lasts 30-45 minutes.
Patients lie on the examination table in the physician s office.
Between 10 and 20 needles are inserted in places on the arms, legs, back or torso. Patients are usually very relaxed and feel no pain or discomfort. In some cases, when the physician deems appropriate, the needles are stimulated with an electrical current for greater therapeutic effect. Practitioner Tony Lu, M.D., is director of integrative medicine for Loyola University Health System and an assistant professor of medicine at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. He has an active practice in internal medicine, acupuncture and homeopathy at Loyola s Family Health Center at LaGrange Park.