When treating illness and disease, Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture take into account the whole person. Instead of isolating a specific cause or agent of disease, Chinese Medicine looks at disease symptoms, age, habits, physical and emotional traits and all other aspects of the individual. Then, an overall picture of the patient is assembled in order to evaluate any patterns of disharmony that have arisen. Once this picture is established, the acupuncturist inserts needles into particular points on the energy channels to correct the flow of Qi and so affect change in a part or function of the body.