About Acupuncture

More Acupuncture Information

 

• Acupuncture is one of the oldest medical procedures and a natural healing technique that originated in China more than 3000 years ago.

 

• Acupuncture has been proven to be a relatively safe and effective form of treatment in the hands of a licensed and trained acupuncturist.

 

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners in 1996.

 

• Relatively few complications from the use of acupuncture have been reported to the FDA in light of the millions of people treated each year and the number of acupuncture needles used.

 

• The World Health Organization currently recognizes more than 40 medical problems that can be treated by acupuncture.

 

• Acupuncture needles are used to stimulate the body’s 14 major meridians (energy carrying channels) to overcome illnesses and conditions by correcting the imbalances of energy in the body. There are 14 main meridians and 8 secondary meridians in the body, which connects with more than 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body.

 

• Acupuncture is proposed to regulate a person’s emotional, mental, and physical balances influenced by the opposing forces of “Yin” (negative energy) and “Yang” (positive energy) in the body.

 

• When Qi (vital energy) flows freely through the meridians, the body is balanced and healthy. Illness results from energy being blocked or weakened and/or the imbalance of yin and yang.

 

• Western practices of acupuncture integrate medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries.

 

• Acupuncturists use hair-thin, sterilized, disposable needles on each patient, and the needles are properly disposed of after a single use.

 

• Most people feel very minimal pain as the needles are inserted by a skilled practitioner.

 

• Most people find the acupuncture treatment relaxing, and some patients feel energized after the treatment.

 

• In some cases, your licensed practitioner may recommend Asian herbal medicine or exercise along with the acupuncture treatments.

 

Acupuncture is part of a system of healing known as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which dates back over five thousand years. TCM is not only the oldest professionally recorded system of medicine on the planet, it is, the system of medicine that has treated the largest number of people in the history of mankind. As a system, Traditional Chinese Medicine includes the use of acupuncture, herbal remedies, massage, nutrition and lifestyle to stimulate the body’s innate healing abilities to restore health and balance.

 

Frequently asked questions about acupuncture:

• What happens during an acupuncture treatment?
  Many people may be unfamiliar with what exactly takes place in an acupuncture session. Wondering what happens during treatment, how many visits may be needed and whether health insurance covers it are all common concerns. In a typical first visit, a practitioner will take a detailed health history, fully investigate your chief complaint and provide acupuncture for you. This may take up to an hour but is necessary to create an individualised treatment plan that takes into account your present physical, emotional, and nutritional condition, while focusing on your main health concern. Return visits to an acupuncturist may also introduce the option of Chinese herbal, or nutritional Chinese herbal therapy or nutritional therapy reinforces acupuncture in a natural way without side-effects. The two are often used together to strengthen the effects of treatment and to achieve longer-lasting results in a shorter amount of time.
   

• How does it work?
  Currently, there are a number of theories as to how exactly acupuncture works. It was once thought that inserting needles into specific parts of the body affected nerves and could inhibit their signal transmission. This was thought to explain why acupuncture could treat pain so well. But when doctors mapped the acupuncture points over the known nerve network they found that there was some correlation, but not nearly enough o explain most of its effects. Another theory stated that acupuncture stimulates the release of opioids and endorphins in the central nervous system. Although this could explain certain analgesic effects, it could not explain many others. The most current theory speculates that acupuncture points are actually strategic conductors of electromagnetic signals throughout the body. Stimulating points along these pathways influences neurotransmitter rates and resets the polarity of different parts of the body. This latest theory is by far the most comprehensive and most promising explanation for why acupuncture works in Western medical terminology.
   

• Does it hurt?
  Acupuncture in general is not painful. The needles are extremely thin (about the width of 2 human hairs), solid, disposable and flexible. Sensations that patients normally experience are a dull ache or tingling which is associated with the movement of energy stimulated by the insertion of the needles. This is a desired effect and should not feel painful.

 

• How many visits will I need?
  The number of visits you will need depends on several factors. One is how long you have had your current condition. Acute conditions, like a cold or flu will generally only require one or two treatments. Conditions that are more recent, like sudden pain from an injury or seasonal allergies may require 3 or 4 treatments before symptoms are reduced. Chronic conditions like PMS, asthma, back pain or other problems that you have had for many years may take anywhere from 4 to 10 treatments until you notice significant changes. At your first visit, your acupuncturist will take a detailed health history and will determine an appropriate treatment plan based on your signs and symptoms and the findings of that visit.

 

Reference:

Common ailments treated with acupuncture:

 

• Allergies

• Ankle Swelling

• Arthritis

• Attention Deficit Disorder

• Back Pain

• Bed Wetting

• Blood Pressure

• Bronchial Conditions

• Bursitis

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Circulatory Issues

• Colds / Flu

• Colitis

• Constipation

• Cough

• Depression

• Detoxification

• Diarrhea

• Diverticulitis

• Dizziness

• Emphysema

• Fatigue

• Fibromyalgia

• Gall Bladder Disorders

• Gas

• Gynecological Concerns

• Hay Fever

• Headache

• Heart Problems

• Hemorrhoids

• Hip Pain

• Immune System Deficiency

• Indigestion

• Infertility

• Injuries

• Insomnia

• Joint Pain

• Kidney Problems

• Knee Pain

• Leg Pain

• Liver Problems

• Muscle pain

• Neck Pain/Stiffness  

• Neuralgia

• Pregnancy Symptoms

• Prostate Problems

• Rheumatism

• Sciatica

• Shingles

• Shoulder Pain

• Skin problems

• Sports Injuries

• Stomach Problems

• Sore Throat

• Thyroid Conditions

• Ulcers

• Urinary Problems

• Whiplash