Benefits and Treatment of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the oldest healing practices in the world originated in China. It is considered a part of complimentary and alternative medicine and over past two decades its popularity has grown significantly. The main goal of acupuncture is to restore and maintain health by insertion of extremely thin hair like needles to various depths, through the skin at strategic points on the body. Studies indicate that acupuncture can provide a number of health benefits from helping with chemotherapy induced nausea to reducing pain; however its mode of action in the body is not fully understood by scientists.  

Acupuncture Treatment : Acupuncture treatment is preformed in an outpatient setting where depending on the acupuncture practitioner and assessment of your condition, number of sittings would be decided. A person will lie on a comfortable surface before the needles are placed, where the position (side, face up or face down) will depend on where the needles should go.

Acupuncture Benefits : Acupuncture can be used in conjunction with one or more conventional medical treatments or can be successfully used as a stand alone treatment for some conditions. Many preliminary studies indicate that acupuncture may provide symptomatic relief in many conditions like migraines, lower backaches, headaches, fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. Acupuncture may also offer relief for certain postoperative pains including dental pain, chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, tennis elbow and chronic menstrual cramps.
Acupuncture is safe when performed by an expert acupuncture practitioner properly. It has few side effects and can be successfully used in conjunction with other treatments. However it may not be safe to perform acupuncture if a person is on blood thinners or having a bleeding disorder. Make sure that the practitioner uses sterilized single use packed needles, because reused needles can accidentally cause transmission of certain infectious disease. The most common side effect experienced is soreness, bleeding or bruising where the needles are inserted. Rarely a needle can injure an internal organ or might break. But the possibilities of all these cons are very low if the acupuncture treatment is in the hands of a certified professional acupuncture practitioner.

Acupuncture Treatment

Acupuncture treatment is an extremely old form of healing the body. In this treatment, the body is healed through natural methods. This ancient Chinese technique was founded thousands of years ago and is practiced in many parts of the world till date. Acupuncture is a treatment that has very little side effects. It is not only a physical treatment but also a spiritual way of life. People from all over the world prefer acupuncture treatment to the conventional medical ones. Not much is known about acupuncture side effects. In fact, most practitioners will have you believe that there are no side effects to this condition at all. However, acupuncture treatment can have some adverse effects, if not practiced correctly.

Acupuncture benefits are many. Acupuncture treatment includes the use of long stainless steel needles that pierce into the pressure points of the skin. According to the ancient literature that describes acupuncture, there are more than 2000 pressure points in our body. Each of these pressure points is connected to an internal organ. To treat the internal organs and stimulate circulation, needles are inserted into the pressure points and pressure is applied through these needles. The benefits of acupuncture are realized only when all the needles are inserted in the correct manner. Acupuncture benefits include rectifying the internal balance of the body. If there are any hormonal imbalances in your body, these acupuncture needles can help treat them.

Acupuncture treatment is an alternate treatment and should be used only when other medical treatments have already been tried. People usually turn towards acupuncture when they want to avoid harmful effects of the medications. According to Chinese philosophy, the body has a life force known as chi, flowing throughout. With the help of the acupuncture needles, the flow of chi can be changed and simulated. When the needles are inserted into the skin, the flow of energy can be channeled into the desired pathways. Acupuncture treatment has different effects on different people. If you do not want to undergo surgeries or consume strong drugs, you can turn to acupuncture for treating yourself. However, since the effects of the same treatment can be different for different people, it is best if you get a detailed check up by the therapist before you get down to the treatment.

The side effects of acupuncture can be felt if the treatment is not done in the correct manner. The treatment will only benefit you if it is done in a safe environment and in a safe way. The treatment should be received from a qualified practitioner or it will not really benefit you. It is important to understand that the needles that are inserted in your body are sharp and will cause a slight pinch when they are being inserted. The most common of accupuncture side effects is bleeding from the insertion of needles. Owing to the side effects, acupuncture benefits are highly debated. There is not much that is clearly known about the benefits of this method of treatment. The side effects of acupuncture treatment as well as the benefits of this treatment are different for different people as the treatments are also highly subjective.

Even if you understand what is acupuncture treatment, nothing can prepare you for the side effects that are often possible due to the treatment. If not done properly, internal organs may get injured. The injury to internal organs can cause harm to the immune system and may also cause infections internally. If the needles that are used in the treatment are not sterilized properly, the side effects of acupuncture treatment may be especially harmful. Acupuncture side effects include diarrhea. Among the other acupuncture side effects are dizziness and confusion. If not performed properly, acupuncture side effects can be emotional as well. Other acupuncture side effects are fatigue and general malaise. One of the common acupuncture side effects many people experience is headache. If you experience acupuncture side effects in the form of a deep rash, get in touch with a doctor. It is possible that the rash may have been caused due to internal bleeding. Acupuncture side effects such as nausea as well as acupuncture side effects like swelling may be experienced when the therapist does not perform the treatment properly.

Accupuncture treatment, though very popular, is not completely proven. Acupuncture benefits during pregnancy are highly debatable and most doctors would advise against getting such treatment. Acupuncture benefits for back pain and infertility may be experienced by some. However, since acupuncture is not an exact science, there is no telling how the condition will affect you. Some people claim that they have experienced many acupuncture benefits for weight loss; however, these claims are unsubstantiated. Acupuncture treatment for Crohn’s disease is also largely unsubstantiated. Some people undergo acupuncture treatment for allergies, and there is also an acupuncture treatment for back pain. Still all these treatments should only be resorted to when the medical treatments have failed.

More research is awaited on the benefits of acupuncture during pregnancy and benefits of acupuncture for arthritis. There is some ongoing debate about the benefits of acupuncture for cancer. Some work is being done in the field of depression and the benefits of acupuncture for depression. Just like the benefits of acupuncture for back pain, the benefits of acupuncture for any other disorder are also not known. If you are planning to get yourself treated by using acupuncture, it is imperative that you first collect all the information about the condition as well as the treatment you will get with acupuncture. In a lot of cases, the treatment may not have desired effects. Also, seek out an acupuncture therapist who is well known in the region and who is medically qualified. Just like in your regular medical appointments, seeking a second opinion is not a bad idea when you are planning to get yourself treated with acupuncture.

However, if you are getting positive results from your treatment with an acupuncturist, it is recommended that you continue the treatment and see the results. There are people who claim to have been rid of their ailment completely with the help of acupuncture. It is possible that you may get treated as well.