By now, most of us have heard of Acupuncture, a famous procedure that can help improve numerous health conditions. This approach involves the insertion of very thin needles into your skin at strategic points on your body. If you’ve never tried it, you may have a lot of questions. We’ll try to answer the most common ones below.
How Old Is Acupuncture and Where Is It From?
Acupuncture is perhaps one of the oldest forms of medical treatment and it can be traced back more than 2000 years ago. Acupuncture originated in China and then spread to other parts of the world. The rapid development of modern medical techniques and tools did little to stop Acupuncture, which is often used alongside more mainstream treatments.
What Can Acupuncture Be Used For?
Acupuncture can help with a wide range of medical problems and conditions such as tonsillitis, migraines, bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis, infertility, arthritis, etc. According to the Mayo Clinic, acupuncture can also treat nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy, menstrual cramps, and labor pains. Furthermore, some people help battle cigarette and alcohol addictions with acupuncture.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
According to the philosophy behind Acupuncture, numerous health problems arise when your body’s energy flow is blocked or obstructed. This concept comes from traditional Chinese culture and medicine which recognizes Qi or Chi’i as the vital force behind every living being. When a blockage or interruption occurs, fluid accumulates and causes pain and swelling, along with pressure. Blockages like these also prevent vital nutrients from reaching every part of your body, which can cause fatigue, weakness, and slow healing of injuries.
Acupuncture gets rid of these blockages, relieves swelling and pain, and then allows the nutrients mentioned above to flow freely. More specifically, acupuncture experts insert very thin needles into certain spots on your body, depending on the patient and the condition being treated. Of course, needles are always sterilized beforehand and used just once. Needles pierce the skin or even reach muscles and are left there for up to 40 minutes. Sometimes they are also moved or used to deliver a very small electric current.
Does Acupuncture Hurt?
Despite the use of needles, acupuncture tends to only cause a warm sensation or tingle. But, if you happen to experience pain or significant discomfort, inform the practitioner right away.
What Are the Benefits and Side Effects of Acupuncture?
Benefits of Acupuncture include:
- No real side effects, unlike pharmacotherapy.
- Works well with other forms of treatment
- All treatments are personalized.
- Effective as prevention and treatment.
- No need to schedule around acupuncture.
According to the HuffPost, the side effects of acupuncture are not life-threatening and usually last only a short time. They include:
- Slight bruising, soreness, lightheadedness, and bleeding can be expected (people on blood thinners or patients with bleeding disorders should consult their doctor first.)
Uncommon side effects from a poorly executed acupuncture treatment include:
- Infection from a lack of proper sterilization.
- Tissue damage from needles going in to deep or at a wrong angle.
The Different Types of Acupuncture
There are a couple of different types of acupuncture, we’ll outline them below:
- Body Acupuncture is the most widespread type and what most people think of when acupuncture is mentioned. This approach involves inserting very fine needles at specific points on a patient’s body.
- Electro-acupuncture involves rotation of inserted needles and mild electrical stimulation which gives off a slight sensation of tingling.
- Auricular Acupuncture focuses on the outer ear and many different small points which are believed to represent your entire body.
- Acu-Acoustics and Acupressure patients will have specific pressure points massaged or pressed to relieve things like migraines, fatigue, and skin problems. The best thing about this acupuncture system is that people can learn how to do it themselves with a program such as the Natural Synergy system, and save money or even start treating other people.
The Natural Synergy System
Emily J. Parker, the mind behind Natural Synergy, helps you stay healthy and treat the root causes of conditions from the privacy of your own home. Her system gives you a natural and unharmful approach to the treatment of emotional and psychological conditions. The program will teach you to clear interruptions and restore the balance of energy through specific meridian points.
Many of today’s common illnesses are the result of a poor diet, but the Natural Synergy program teaches students about diets and exercises that keep you healthy, besides showing you how to identify conditions that can be reversed in a natural way. The Natural Synergy system has no side-effects and can be learned by anyone through a wealth of audio and video tutorials.
REFERENCES:
- “A brief history of acupuncture,” Oxford Academic, A. White and E. Ernst, 1 May, 2004,
https://academic.oup.com/rheumatology/article/43/5/662/1788282 - “Acupuncture,” Mayo Clinic,
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/acupuncture/about/pac-20392763 - “Acupuncture,” Wikipedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi - “7 Acupuncture Side Effects That You Should Know,” Huffpost, Sara Calabro, 22 April, 2013, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/acupuncture-side-effects_b_2719101