What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture involves the use of ultra-fine needles to activate the body's natural healing mechanisms. It is an important modality of Chinese Medicine, an ancient medical system that has been treating disease and illness naturally and effectively for over 3000 years. Acupunture not only treats the symptoms of physical illness, but endeavors to find the root cause of illness by considering the relationship of environment, diet, exercise and emotions with respect to your physical health and well-being. The ultimate goal of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine is to promote homeostasis in the body, which prevents illness and encourages the body to heal itself.
How does it work?
The basic theory of acupuncture is that every living being possesses energy, or Qi ("Chee"), which circulates throughout the body along complex channels called meridians. Pain and illness result when the flow of energy through the body is disrupted or blocked, and this can be caused by many things, including pathogens, trauma, injuries, medication, as well as lifestyle factors such as overwork, poor diet, emotions, lack of rest and stress.
Meridians come to the surface of the skin at specific points on the body. Scientific research has discovered that these points display a variety of unique bioelectric properties and stimulation with acupuncture can help to adjust the body’s energy flow, triggering the immune system and pain regulating mechanisms. Acupuncture is also believed to help stimulate the nervous system and influence the release of neurochemical messengers, vasodilators and hormones. This change in physiology influences the well-being of homeostatic processes, which help to keep the body healthy and disease free.
General functions of acupuncture include:
Strengthening the immune system against disease
Regulating hormones
Improving circulation
Resolving pain
Speeds healing following injury or surgical procedures
Promoting relaxation
Treating emotional issues
Encouraging a feeling of well-being
What Can Acupuncture Treat?
In an official report, Acupuncture: Review and Analysis of Reports on Controlled Clinical Trials, the WHO (WHO) has listed the following symptoms, diseases and conditions that have been shown through controlled trials to be treated effectively by acupuncture:
- low back pain
- neck pain
- sciatica
- tennis elbow
- knee pain
- periarthritis of the shoulder
- sprains
- facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)
- headache
- dental pain
- tempromandibular (TMJ) dysfunction
- rheumatoid arthritis
- induction of labor
- correction of malposition of fetus (breech presentation)
- morning sickness
- nausea and vomiting
- postoperative pain
- stroke
- essential hypertension
- primary hypotension
- renal colic
- leucopenia
- adverse reactions to radiation or chemotherapy
- allergic rhinitis, including hay fever
- biliary colic
- depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke)
- acute bacillary dysentery
- primary dysmenorrhea
- acute epigastralgia
- peptic ulcer
- acute and chronic gastritis
There are a variety of additional symptoms, diseases and conditions where acupuncture has shown incredible benefits. If you are wondering if acupuncture can benefit you, please feel free to call or email for a free consultation.
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