How Acupuncture Can Relieve Pain and Improve Your Well Being

Acupuncture is a 3,000 year old healing technique of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In 1997, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) documented and publicized acupuncture's saftey and efficancy for treating a wide range of conditions. Acupuncture is now coverd by many insurance policies and is used most broadly to relieve pain.

How Acupuncture Work?

Acupuncture improves the body's functions and promotes the natural self-healing process by stimulating specific anatomic sites, commonly referred to as acupuncture points, or acupoints. The most common method used to stimulate acupoints is the insertion of fine, sterile needles into the skin. Pressure, heat or electrical stimulation may further enhance the effectivs. Other acupoint stimulation technicques included: Manual massage, moxibustion or heat therapy, cupping, and the application of topical herbal medicinces and linaments.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on an ancient philosophy that describes the univers, and the body, in terms of two opposing forces: yin and yang. When these forces are in balance, the body is healthy. Engery, called "qi" (pronounced: "Chi or Chee") flows along specific pathways, called meridians, throughtout the body. This constant flow of engery keeps the yin and yang forces balance. However, if the flow of energy gets blocked, like water getting stuck behind a dam, the disruption can lead to pain, lack of function, or illness.

Acupuncture therapy can release blocked qi in the body and stimulate function, evoking the body's natural healing response through various physiological system. Modern research has demonstrated acupuncture's effect on the nervous system, endorcrine and immune system, cardiovascular system, and digestive system. By stimulating the body's various systems, acupuncture can help to resolve pain and improve sleep, digestive function, and sense of well-being.

What happens during an Acupuncture Treatment?

First, your acupuncturist will ask you about your health history. Then, he or she will examine your tounge's shape, color, and coating, feel your pulse, and possibly perform some additional physical examinations depending on your individual health needs. Using these unique assessment tools, the acupuncturist will be able to recommend a proper treatment plan to address your particular condition. To begin the acpuncture treatment, you lay comofrably on a treatment table while precise acupoints are stimulated on vaiours areas of your body. Most people feel no or minimal discomfort as the fine needles are gently placed. The needles are usually retained between 5 to 30 minutes. During and after treatments, people report they feel very relaxed.

How many treatments will I need?

The frequency and number of treatments differ from person to person. Some people experience dramatic relief in the first treament. For complex or long-standing chronic conditions, one to two treaments per week for several months may be recommended. For acute problems, usually fewer vi9sits are required, usually 8 to 10 visits in total. An invidualualized treatment plan that incudes the expected number of treatments will be discussed during your initial visit.

What conditions are commonly treated by acupunture

Hundreds of clinical studies on the benefits of acupuncture show that it successfully treat conditions ranging from musculoskeletal problems (back pain, neck pain, and others) to nausea, migraine headache, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and infertility.