What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese medicine involving the insertion of very thin needles into the skin at specific points on the body to achieve a therapeutic effect. This practice has been around for over two thousand years and has proven to be very effective especially for pain relief, fertility, and chronic illness.
The key principle that defines this form of medicine is that of Qi (chee), or vital energy. The Qi of all organs must be in balance; neither too active, nor too dormant, for a person to be healthy. The Qi of the body's organs and systems are all connected in 'meridians', or channels that lie just under the skin. A practitioner will use acupuncture to assist the body in regulating the Qi and achieving balance.
The modern scientific explanation is that needling the acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals will either change the experience of pain, or they will trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones which influence the body's own internal regulating system. The improved energy and biochemical balance produced by acupuncture results in stimulating the body's natural healing abilities, and in promoting physical and emotional well-being.
Is Acupuncture Painful?
Some people may assume that acupuncture is very painful. That's a misconception. The needles used for acupuncture are solid and extremely fine - around the size of a single strand of hair; much smaller than the ones used for injections. When the needles reach the acupuncture points, there is a sensation that could be described as tingling or numbing. Sometimes these sensations may transfer to other parts of the body.
Is Acupuncture Safe?
One of the striking advantages of acupuncture is that there are rarely any side effects. Only sterile needles are used for treatments. The needles are used only once and then are disposed of. Therefore, there is no risk infection
What can acupuncture help you with?
Acupuncture is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be effective in the treatment of a wide variety of medical problems. Best known to treat pain, our practitioners also successfully treat the following disorders with acupuncture:
- Headache
- Knee pain
- Low back pain
- Neck pain
- Periarthritis of shoulder
- Postoperative pain
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sciatica
- Sprain
- Tennis elbow
