Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a medical system originating in China thousands of years ago. Acupuncturists adjust the flow of Qi (vital energy), influencing other flows such as blood, and other fluids by the insertion of hair-thin sterile needles at specific points on the body.
People use acupuncture to relieve pain and treat certain health conditions. You can use it by itself or as part of a treatment program. Studies have found promising results for the use of acupuncture to treat nausea and vomiting related to pregnancy, chemotherapy, and post surgery pain. Acupuncture also may be useful for:
- Stroke Rehabilitation – involving relearning skills lost because of brain damage from a stroke.
- Headache - standard treatment leads to significant, long-lasting relief from chronic headaches, especially migraines.
- Menstrual cramps
- Tennis elbow
- Fibromyalgia - or widespread pain and tenderness of muscle and soft tissue.
- Myofascial pain - caused by spasm in the muscles.
- Osteoarthritis - or the breakdown of the tissue (cartilage) that protects and cushions joints. Acupuncture can reduce knee pain and increase movement of the knee in people with osteoarthritis.
- Low back pain - Acupuncture may help decrease pain and increase activity.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome - or pressure on a nerve in the wrist that results in tingling, numbness, weakness, or pain of the fingers and hand.
- Asthma - or inflammation in the bronchial tubes that carry air to the lungs, resulting in periodic episodes of difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness, and coughing.
- Drug addiction - Acupuncture may help reduce symptoms of withdrawal after a person stops taking a drug he or she is addicted to. It may also help prevent a relapse.
- Dental pain
- Labor pain
In contrast, many Western practitioners view the acupuncture points as places to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue. This stimulation appears to boost the activity of your body's natural painkillers and increase blood flow.
The benefits of acupuncture are:
- When performed correctly it is safe
- There are very few side effects
- It is a very effective combination treatment
- It is effective in controlling some types of pain
- It may be considered for patients who do not respond to pain medications
- It is a useful alternative for patients who do not want to take pain medications
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