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Acupuncture - Do You Know The Pros And Cons?


acupuncture patient getting needled

Understanding Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been used by the Chinese for over two thousand years. It is considered to be an alternative medical treatment that is used to relieve pain, promote healing and ease stress. Although acupuncture has been around for thousands of years, it has only gained popularity in the Western World in the last few decades.

How is Acupuncture done?

Acupuncture uses very fine needles that are placed in the skin along acupuncture points. The location of the needles and the depths of the needle insertion is based on the patient's symptoms and conditions.

Many people think that acupuncture is a mystical practice and does not provide any therapeutic benefits. However, it has been shown to relieve pain and can help alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the body's vital energy called Qi runs through the body along pathways. If these pathways become blocked, illness and pain can occur. Acupuncture frees these pathways by placing an acupuncture needle along the pathway using acupuncture points. There are more than 300 of these acupuncture points throughout the body.

Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that health is the result of a harmonious balance between yin and yang. When the yin and yang become imbalanced, the flow of energy can become altered and result in illness and pain. Acupuncture utilizes fine needles to help restore the balance between yin and yang. These needles are placed in the appropriate acupuncture points to help restore energy flow along the meridian pathways in the body.

What Benefits Does Acupuncture Offer?

Acupuncture is safe and generally does not cause any side effects. This effective treatment is often used in conjunction with other medical practices, such as herbal remedies, meditation, and yoga. Natural Healing Ways, along with thousands of other certified acupuncturists, offers a full menu of Traditional Chinese Medicine practices. Having all of these specialties under one roof helps you as the patient to receive more comprehensive care.

Acupuncture is also very beneficial to those suffering from pain who do not respond well to pain medications or want to avoid using pain medications. Additionally, research has found that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for the following conditions:

- Tension headaches

When you suffer from a tension headache, the muscles in the neck, shoulders and upper back can tense up. Acupuncture can help release the tension and relieve your headache.

- Migraine headaches

When you have a migraine, you not only suffer from a headache, but you also experience nausea, light and sound sensitivity and more. Acupuncture can help ease your pain and relieve nausea associated with migraines.

- Fibromyalgia

Many fibromyalgia sufferers report that acupuncture helps to relieve pain, stress, muscle tension, and fatigue.

- Surgery

Acupuncture can be used before and during surgery to reduce pain levels and the number of pain medication needed after surgery.

- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Acupuncture may help relieve the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, including pain, numbness, tingling and inflammation.

- Back Pain

When a patient does not respond to conventional medical treatments for back pain, a physician will often recommend acupuncture. Additionally, combining acupuncture with conventional treatment methodologies improves the effectiveness of both therapies.

- Myofascial Pain

Acupuncture helps to relieve pain and swelling of the myofascial tissues.

- Neck Pain

Acupuncture has been shown to be an effective treatment for chronic neck pain and provides better pain relief than other methods.

- Osteoarthritis

Patients who suffer from knee pain has found that acupuncture can help relieve pain and swelling.

- Dental Pain

Acupuncture can help relieve postoperative dental pain following tooth extractions.

- Tennis Elbow

Lateral Epicondylar pain is caused when the elbow is overworked. Acupuncture can provide pain relief.

- Hypertension

Believe it or not, acupuncture can help ease the symptoms of hypertension and lower blood pressure.

- Gastrointestinal disorders

Acupuncture may help ease indigestion and other gastrointestinal issues, especially in pregnant women.

- Gynecologic Issues

Acupuncture can help relieve painful periods, pelvic pain and other gynecologic issues, such as infertility.

- Other conditions

Acupuncture can help relieve back pain, temporomandibular joint disorders, stress and more.

What Are the Risks and Side Effects of Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is considered generally safe when performed by an experienced practitioner using sterilized needles. There is a rare risk of needle breakage. A lung collapse can occur if the needles are inserted improperly and too deeply in the upper chest. However, this is rare. Minor bruising and bleeding may also be experienced. After treatment, you may experience a mild aching as the muscles release toxins. Drinking plenty of water and mild exercise following your acupuncture treatment can help to ease these symptoms.

Certain individuals should not use acupuncture. For example, those who are on blood thinners or those who suffer from a bleeding disorder should avoid this type of treatment. As with any type of medical treatment or medication, speak with your physician to ensure you are a good candidate for acupuncture. And once you get your physician's approval, you can begin your search for a certified acupuncturist at the National Certification Commission of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. It is also worth mentioning that even though acupuncture is considered an alternative medical practice, most health insurance plans cover at least a portion of the fees associated with these services.

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