New American Acupuncture

Considering acupuncture? If you've reached the end of your rope with your acute or chronic pain, and feel very stiff, you might ask the acupuncture therapist to try New American Acupuncture techniques to release the "holding patterns" of the body's mind.

Typically, when patients new to acupuncture try this complementary medicine modality, they experience spasms during the session which result in discomfort and possible ineffectiveness.

In his book, New American Acupuncture, Dr. Mark Seem introduces the concept of avoiding muscle fiber fatigue and how that can facilitate the bodywork greatly. Seem says his method for relieving muscle spasms that don't respond to conventional needling, is key to prep the body for acupuncture.

Seem said, in order to achieve successful "de Qi," the term used for the sensation felt that radiates down the meridian being addressed, when an acupuncture point is successfully "needled," tight muscle spots need to be freed up.

According to Acupuncture Today, after a myofascial palpation (a searching for tender spots along the meridian, dry needling the spasm directly (a light tapping or massage) can "soften" the tissue so the muscle can "grip" the needle.

The needle should not be inserted into the muscle. Rather, it should be "bounced" using a wrist action. When the spasm releases, the patient will be much more accepting of further treatment.

Critics stated that Seem's book is a valuable reference text.