What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is part of the ancient practice of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM is a system of healthcare that has evolved over thousands of years to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. TCM believes that the body's vital energy, called qi (pronounced chi), flows along specific channels or meridians in the human body. If the qi is balanced then the person has spiritual, emotional, and physical health. But when the qi isn't in balance, disease may occur. One of these approaches is acupuncture.
Acupuncturists believe the human body has more than 2,000 acupuncture points. They are linked through the various meridians. The use of acupuncture on certain points within the meridians is believed to improve the flow of blocked or stagnant qi. Acupuncture can unblock these meridians. This restores movement of qi and improves health.
What you can expect
During an acupuncture treatment, your acupuncturist will examine a patient and assess their condition, and inserts one or more thin, single-use, disposable, sterile needles into specific spots on your body.
Acupuncture needles are inserted to various depths at strategic points on your body. You may feel a mild aching sensation when a needle reaches the correct depth. You might be more sensitive in certain areas, but it shouldn’t hurt.
The needles stay in for a few minutes or as long as 20 minutes. An acupuncture session may take up to 60 minutes, although some appointments may be much shorter. Your acupuncturist may gently move or twirl the needles after placement or apply heat or mild electrical pulses to the needles. A common treatment plan for a single complaint would typically involve one or two treatments a week. The number of treatments will depend on the condition being treated and its severity. In general, it's common to receive 6 to 8 treatments.
What does acupuncture treat?
Acupuncture is a common complementary therapy that can help people manage many different conditions. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) states that acupuncture can effectively assist in the treatment of low back pain, neck pain, knee pain, osteoarthritis (OA), migraine, fatigue, peripheral, neuropathy, and tendinopathy. Conditions that may be helped by acupuncture include:
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Respiratory: Asthma, Allergic rhinitis, Sinusitis, Bronchitis
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Gastrointestinal: Constipation, Diarrhea, Gastritis, IBS, Nausea, Vomiting
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Emotional: PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia
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Gynecological: Menstrual pain, Infertility, Menopause
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Musculoskeletal: Back pain, Neck pain, Sciatica, Shoulder pain, Ankle Sprain, Tendonitis, Arthritis, Muscle cramping, Fibromyalgia
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Neurological: Stroke, Bell’s palsy, Headaches, Migraines, Parkinson's disease
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Miscellaneous: Irritable bladder, Prostatitis, Male infertility, Addiction, Dizziness