The Healing Art of
Acupuncture
June 13, 2008
Can’t get ride of back pain? Chronic headaches? Nicotine addition? Maybe it’s time to try something new.
For most individuals, having a bunch of needles stock into various parts of their body sounds fairly unpleasant. Many people who have tried it, however, don’t know how they’ve lived without it. While acupuncture can involve a variety of techniques in order to stimulate anatomical points on the body, the most common method in the United States uses, thin, metallic needles that are pushed through the skin and manipulated by the hands or electricity. Although research is continuously underway, many studies have shown that acupuncture relieves everything from general and isolated physical pain to more intangible problems like insomnia, addictions and stress. |
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Still not willing to give it a go? Keep reading. Practiced for thousands of years in China and parts of Asia, acupuncture is said to unblock points of Qi (vital energy) flow that are clogged due to an imbalance between the passive, cold yin and the active, hot yang. There are believed to be at least 2,000 points where main channels connect pathways of energy flow. Often used in conjunction with neuroscience, acupuncture can stimulate pinpointed nerves, muscles and connective tissue; this increases blood flow and activates the body’s natural painkillers. Now that sounds agreeable.
Therapy is usually conducted on a weekly or biweekly basis in an outpatient setting. Often, there are up to 12 treatments overall with each session lasting about 30 minutes along with updates and evaluations of your current condition. Fortunately, more and more health insurance companies are reimbursing clients for complementary and alternative medicine, so check with your provider to see if your policy covers acupuncture treatments.
Many patients report that even after their first visit, they feel 10 times better. When Susan Yanush was tired of battling stubborn migraines, she turned to a combination of acupuncture and herbs. After just two months, she now claims that not only have the migraines disappeared, but she feels calmer, happier, 10 years younger and she has more energy than she knows what to do with. Even if migraines aren’t an issue, wouldn’t we all like to feel a little more relaxed and youthful?
Hospitals are also using acupuncture to reduce nausea and fatigue after surgery and especially chemotherapy. Currently, the National Institutes of Health is conducting clinical trials in order to evaluate the effects of acupuncture on facial paralysis, coronary artery disease, seasonal allergies, dry eyes and even fertility.
The risks of acupuncture are few and far between, given that you see a licensed practitioner who used FDA approved needles. Very few complications have been reported, and problems that have arisen are often the results of improper needle sterilization.
That said, acupuncture is a more and more appealing alternative for individuals sick of expensive medications with harsh side effects. Just ask A. Richardson and Seattle who had chronic pain for over two years. After trying codeine, morphine, MRIs, CAT scans, physiatrists and neurologists, he was considering orthopedic surgery as a final last resort. Instead, he chose acupuncture, and within three months, his pain was just about gone. Now he just goes in for “tune-ups” every so often.
Last, an answer to burning question: no, acupuncture is not extremely painful. You may feel a very brief, sharp sensation when the needle is first put in place, but other than that, the procedure is pain-free. In fact, most patients report that the experience is so pleasant that they look forward to their therapy sessions.
All credit goes to http://www.imakenews.com/sisleyhonda/e_article001120454.cfm?x=bd4t1D8 |
