Acupuncture

Acupuncture, simply stated is a health science, which is used to successfully treat both pain and dysfunction in the body.

Acupuncture has its roots deeply planted in China. In fact authorities agree the science is between 5,000 and 7,000 years old. At first glance, acupuncture appears strange-as its primary notoriety is the utilization of needle placed in the skin at various locations relieves pain or affect a body part.

Early Chinese physicians discovered there is an energy network traversing just below the surface of the skin, which communicates, from the exterior to the internal organs and structures at over 1,000 “Acupoints” on the body. This energy works in harmony with the body’s circulatory, nervous, muscular, digestive, genitourinary and all other systems of the body. When this vital energy becomes blocked or weakened, an effect in a body system or anatomic location become evident. Stimulation of one or a combination of key “Acupoints” on the body may restore harmony to the affected area. Historians have stated, “More people have benefited from Acupuncture over the course of fifty centuries than the combined total of all other healing sciences, both ancient modern.”

What is Meridian Therapy?
Meridian therapy is the accepted name employed by those who practice the principle of Acupuncture without the use of a penetrating needle.
Acupuncture is a principle, not a technique. Therefore, there are many ways to stimulate an Acupoint other than a needle, just as there many different strokes used in swimming.

How does it Work?
Far too often in the medical professions, a patient is told after extensive examination, that there is nothing wrong, its all in your head, or sorry, you’ll have to learn to live with it. The examining doctor unable to find the cause of the problem has little else to tell the patient.

The human body’s energy flow courses over meridians or channels athat are normally well balanced. If a disruption of energy flow exists, it can alter the entire system, producing pain or symptoms in the body. If we were to compare a 175 pound man on one end of a seesaw and a 45 pound child on the other end, it becomes obvious the seesaw would be “broken” due to the fact the heavier person would be sitting on the ground and the lighter would be gangling in the air. Even though the seesaw is producing a symptom of be being broken-extensive examination would not reveal anything wrong with the seesaw. The obvious answer is in the balance. Correction corrects the problem. This is acupuncture’s goal-to restore normalcy to the body’s energy balance by utilizing a combination of acupoints located on the twelve meridians. This is accomplished by a variety of means, the needle is just one.

Is treatment painful?
One would assume inserting a needle into the skin would be painful since most of us can relate to being stuck with a pin or having a hypodermic injection. However, 5 acupuncture needles can be easily inserted into the hollow tube of a hypodermic needle. Because of the extreme slenderness of the needle, most people compare the sensation as “less than a mosquito bite.” A phenomena referred to as “Techchi” occurs when the energy is contracted. This sensation is felt as a mild to moderate heaviness or tingling.
Needles obviously have their place in clinical practice. However, many physicians certified in acupuncture and licensed acupuncturists are employing electronic and laser stimulation to the acupoint with equal effectiveness as the needle. Both of these procedures are painless and are quickly becoming standard worldwide.

How many Treatments are usual
The number of treatments varies with different conditions and individuals. Chronic problems generally require more treatments than acute ones. Some patients notice immediate improvement after the first treatment, whereas others may not notice any effect until the seventh or eighth visit. It’s been shown that a certain percentage of patients receive maximum benefit up to three months following a course of therapy.

Patients are urged not to enter an acupuncture program with the thought of “taking a few” to see what will happen. Even though it is possible to achieve success, a program of ten visits would have a better chance for success. Patients are encouraged to be patient with the healing process. If the treatments are recommended and results occurred in just five visits, the doctor may elect to discontinue treatments or continue their use to stabilize the condition.

What conditions are helped?
Acupuncture textbooks list well over one hundred different conditions that respond well to acupuncture. The World Health Organization has indicated that acupuncture is effective in the following conditions: acute and chronic pain relief, migraine, tension, cluster and sinus headaches, trigeminal neuralgia, bladder dysfunction, be wetting, neck and back pain, shoulder pain and tennis elbow, asthma, allergies, weight loss/gain, stress relief and food, cigarette and alcohol addition.

Is Acupuncture expensive?
The cost of acupuncture varies in different parts of the country. However, the average appears to be between 30 and 40 dollars per treatment.
Are results permanent?
For acute problems where there has been little or no organ system or tissue damage, results are often permanent. For chronic conditions, symptoms may recur from time to time. Generally a few additional treatments are sufficient to obtain relief. It’s suggested that patients with severe or chronic conditions return for a booster treatment two to three times a year.