A dull ache is the sensation people often feel when a practitioner has reached 'Qi' (see below) with the acupuncture needle.

Illness comes from blockages in Qi. When the flow of Qi becomes free, the blocked energy goes back into your general circulation. This is like a traffic jam. When you are stuck behind the jam, you get agitated and stressed, then when you get out of the jam, you feel free and more relaxed. The same thing happens in the body.

In Western Medical physiology, the  smallest unit of life is the cell.  In Chinese Medical physiology, the smallest unit of life is Qi.  Qi is usually translated into English as energy or life force.  All things are made up of Qi.  For example, it may be helpful to think of Qi as the electromagnetic bond that holds atoms together.  Even a solid wood desk is made up of innumerable atoms held together by this energetic bond.  The same is true in the body.  Your organs, bones, muscles, blood are all made up of atoms held together with this electromagnetic force, Qi.  All material things project this electromagnetic field which is easily seen when you hold two polar magnets close to each other or watch a needle in a compass point North.  In the body, Qi follows pathways we call meridians.  Traditional Chinese Medicine is based upon the observation and manipulation of Qi in the meridians.  When the meridians become congested, illness results.  When harmony and smooth flow is returned, health results.

Feng Shui is becoming popular in the West.  It is based on obtaining harmonious Qi flow in the external environment.  Chinese medicine is based on obtaining harmonious Qi flow in the internal environment.

'Qi' (pronounced 'chee') is sometimes written as 'Chi' in older sources.  'Chi' is a translation from an older system of Romanization of the Chinese system called the 'Wade-Giles' system.  The current Romanization system used in China called the 'Pin Yin' system uses 'Qi' for the translation.

Since people are so unique, treatments can take many different courses. Even though, I can suggest some general guidelines. Acute conditions that are short in duration may only require 2-3 treatments to have a curative effect. Chronic conditions that are years in duration take longer to resolve. A rule of thumb that one of my teachers used to say was for every year a person has had a problem, you need a month of weekly treatment. That doesn't mean that you won't have any benefit from a couple of treatments, it just means that it takes some more time to correct the underlying cause of the problem. For example, if someone came in to have his or her low back pain treated that they had for 10 years, pain relief could be obtained within a couple of treatments. If that patient then stopped treatment since they felt better, the pain may come back. If the patient continued treatment to correct the underlying weakness that caused the pain to manifest in the first place, the pain may never return.

Chinese medicine works at rebalancing the way that the body circulates Qi. When the flow of Qi is out of balance, people will get some kind of illness, depending on the location and severity of the disruption.  This is the root of all disease.  When the body gets back into balance, your entire body will function at a much higher level.  For example, if somebody comes in to treat their migraine headaches, then continues periodic treatment after the pain is gone, the body will function more efficiently.  This prevents the headaches from coming back and prevents other illnesses from occurring.  Patients who come in for periodic 'tune-ups' have better health.  When you have better health, you catch less colds, high cholesterol levels drop, blood pressure regulates, strength and stamina increases, etc.