Dr. Jac Daccardi incorporates acupuncture, both with needles and with high power therapeutic laser (called "meridian therapy,) into his treatment plans for patients who can benefit from it. Because acupuncture is one of many areas of expertise for Dr. Daccardi, he customizes his treatments and therapies specifically for the needs of each patient to achieve the greatest results.
He is Board Certified in Acupuncture by the NBCE and has earned two post-graduate fellowships in acupuncture from the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture and the Acupuncture Society of America.

WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE? Acupuncture is a method of stimulating the body's natural healing ability that has been practiced effectively and reliably throughout Asia for over 2500 years. The philosophy behind the practice of acupuncture is that health is the result of a balanced flow of life energy, or Qi (pronounced "Chi"), which is present in all living organisms. By inserting extremely thin needles in precise points in the body's complex grid of electrical pathways, called acupuncture meridians, a skilled acupuncturist can help rebalance the body's energy flow, resulting in pain relief and restored health.

THE ACUPUNCTURE MERIDIANS Qi circulates throughout the body in pathways called meridians. Each acupuncture meridian corresponds to specific internal organs and organ systems in the body. When needles are inserted into acupuncture points in precise combinations by an experienced practitioner, the energy flow to specific organ systems can be increased or decreased, depending upon what is needed, in order to achieve equilibrium in the body. In fact, acupuncture can also be performed effectively by stimulating acupuncture points with high power laser instead of needles.

Although the acupuncture meridians cannot be seen by the naked eye, their existence has been visualized and documented in scientific studies. In 1985, the French researcher Pierre de Vernejoul injected radioactive isotopes into acupuncture points in humans and tracked their movement with diagnostic imaging equipment. He found that the movement of the isotopes corresponded to acupuncture meridians.

HOW DOES IT WORK? From an Eastern perspective, acupuncture works by balancing the flow of life energy between "yin" energy and "yang" energy, or positive and negative energy. From the perspective of Western medicine, acupuncture may work by stimulating the central nervous system to release chemicals and hormones in the muscles, spinal cord and brain that reduce pain. Scientific studies have shown that acupuncture is associated with the production of serotonin, noradrenaline and other neurotransmitters and neuromodulators.

Regardless of how it may work, the benefits of acupuncture to reduce pain and restore health have been well-documented.