When discussing acupuncture, many will compare it to “traditional medicine,” meaning the process of disease treating medications prescribed by a licensed physician. However, the practice of acupuncture dates back more than 2,000 years, pre-dating the founding of the United States of America with more than ten times the history, challenging the idea of the traditional.
Kimberly Kraus, licensed acupuncturist and owner of Rising Sun Acupuncture in Fredericksburg, has been practicing traditional Chinese medicine long enough to see its impact on the lives of many people, including her own family.
Kraus began her path towards becoming a licensed acupuncturist following a meeting with a psychic who believed Kimberly had strong healing energy. Her own treatment experience exposed her to the body’s healing energy channels. She attended a rite of passage retreat experience that solidified her interest in the healing arts and she soon decided acupuncture was her calling.
“They (the Chinese) were able to see the energy flowing in a person’s body and then they put it down on paper and started mapping out the body and where the energy flowed,” Kraus said regarding the ancient practice.
Her clinic also includes cupping, sound therapy, muscle testing, iridology (examination of the eyes) and The Body Code, a process to clear the body of physical and emotional traumas. She provides a comprehensive range of nutrition supplements as well.
While once considered a rather mysterious form of alternative medicine, acupuncture has grown in popularity along with other health and wellness practices such as yoga and meditation.
“People come and see me because they want to get better faster without any negative side effects,” Kraus said.
Acupuncture uses extremely thin needles to target energy channels in the body, stimulating the body’s natural healing process. For a trained acupuncturist, each point of needle insertion connects to an organ system. This is typically done in a low-light and relaxing environment where the patient is comfortable. During her initial examination of new clients, Kraus conducts a full body analysis to determine any conditions requiring attention.
While results can be different for each patient, Kraus has used her education and skills to treat her own family and testifies to the positive effects it has had on them.
“I feel super blessed to have understood how to use this for my own family and myself, so that I haven’t had to experience any hospitals or doctors,” Kraus said about her now 21- and 24-year-old sons.
Especially effective at pain relief, stress relief and digestive difficulties, acupuncture can bring a safe and relaxing element to the body and mind’s overall health and wellness.
According to the Rising Sun Acupuncture website, acupuncture can be useful in treating menopause, gynecological issues, joint and muscle pain, arthritis, headaches, chronic fatigue, allergies, asthma and more. For a full list of conditions treated at Rising Sun Acupuncture, as well as descriptions of various treatment techniques, visit the Rising Sun Acupuncture website at lagovistaacupuncture.com.
Rising Sun Acupuncture is in Fredericksburg at 108 E. Trailmoor Dr., Suite 9. To make an appointment, call 830-456-0097.