Just as a compass has four primary directions, at PiH we believe the path to health can be approached along four different primary directions. The North-South axis represents how we move between mind (North) and body (South). But, there are also very different ways of understanding the nature of mind and body that are reflected in Eastern and Western healing traditions. At PiH, we move back and forth along these axes until we find the optimal direction that leads to restoration of our clients's health.

Acupuncture is one of the healing practices we offer at PiH. Tamara Hauck, LAc is an acupuncturist, herbalist, and Master of Oriental Medicine, who founded EastBridge Healthcare Associates, is on the Board of Trustees of Northwestern Health Sciences University and is also a past-President of the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Association of Minnesota, and has recently joined our practice at PiH.

Her credentials attest to her training and her proven ability to positively impact the health of her clients and patients. Still, some may benefit from a brief overview of acupuncture as an ancient and yet thoroughly modern energy medicine practice that is actually part of a much larger system of healing known as Oriental Medicine. Acupuncture involves the careful placement of very fine needles into special points on the skin that are associated with pathways through which different types of energy, called Ch'i are said to flow. The acupuncture points are located along the meridians and can be used to modulate the circulation of Ch'i. The needles are left in place for 20-30 minutes while the client or patient relaxes in a warm and soothing treatment room. The placement of the needles is determined through a careful interview with Tamara that explores the relationships of presenting symptoms to many aspects of a person's life circumstances.

Ch'i energy is said to come from three sources: a vital energy inherited from our parents; energy absorbed into, and produced by the body as a result of the foods we eat; and energy we absorb through our relationship to our environment: universal energy. When the flow of these energies through the body is disrupted in some manner (which can results from physical, emotional, mental and spiritual influences) a "pattern of disharmony" forms that represents an "imbalance" in the person’s Ch'i energy system. When the person's energy system is imbalanced, symptoms of illness or other patterns of difficulty emerge. Therefore, when working with an acupuncturist, restoration of "balance" is what is sought because when in balance, the person's optimal healing potential is released.

Acupuncture involves careful attention to the whole person, not just to symptoms and their cause. Many types of personal problems (e.g. many forms of chronic illness) cannot be reduced to simple "cause-effect" relationships, which is what Biomedicine (another name for our dominant Western medical model) is based upon.

Examples of conditions acupuncture is used to treat include:

• Traumatic Injury Chronic and/or Acute Pain
• Muscular Weakness
• Spasms and Nerve Pain
• Inflammation and Edema
• Chronic Illness
• Immune System Impairment
• Infertility/OB-Gyn Conditions
• Neurological Conditions
• Respiratory Conditions
• Gastrointestinal Disorders
• Urogenital Disorders
• Allergies
• Addictions
• Depression and Anxiety
• Stress-mediated conditions
• Emotional Difficulties
• Insomnia

Indications that acupuncture is working for you are often noticeable within the first few visits. Through on-going consultation with Tamara, you can determine what type of course of acupuncture or oriental medicine treatment makes the most sense for you.