Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a process by which fine needles are inserted and manipulated into specific points on the skin to relieve pain or for therapeutic purposes.
Most patients find the treatments to be relaxing and many fall asleep during treatment. The needles used in acupuncture are extremely thin and the majority of patients experience a minimal sensation of pain lasting for a very short period, or no pain at all.
Benefits
Acupuncture has been shown to be very effective in relieving musculoskeletal pain. However, acupuncture is also used to treat a wide range of problems.
In 2003, the World Health Organization published a report recognizing acupuncture as an effective treatment modality for 28 conditions including:
- tennis elbow
- frozen shoulder
- depression
- headaches
- sciatica
- osteoarthritis
- diarrhea
How Does Acupuncture Work?
According to traditional Chinese medical theory, qi (pronounced chee) is the vital energy behind all life forms and life processes.
Healing practitioners discovered that energy flows along specific pathways called meridians. Each pathway is associated with a particular physiological system and internal organ. Disease arises due to a deficiency or imbalance of energy in the meridians and their associated physiological systems.
Acupuncture points are specific sites along the meridians. Each point has a predictable effect upon the vital energy passing through it. Modern science has measured the electrical charge at these points, corroborating the locations of meridians.
