What Does Acupuncture Treat?
For some individuals, it’s still somewhat surreal to understand that puncturing the skin with needles can have major therapeutic health benefits, but it is true. There are still skeptics and others who won’t even consider being voluntarily pricked with needles, but there are far more people who have come to experience the benefits of acupuncture firsthand and will endorse it wholeheartedly to others. Acupuncture is one of the Traditional Chinese Medicine approaches that are proven effective for chronic pain management, and so if you’re inclined to ask what can acupuncture help with then we’re happy to discuss it.
A good place to start is with the understanding that acupuncturists don’t insert their needles just anywhere into the skin. The locations are based on the understanding of energy meridian pathways in the body. There are 12 energy meridian pathways, and the nature of your ailment or illness will dictate which of these meridians the acupuncturist will go through to reorient your Qi, also known as life energy. A person’s Qi can be thrown out of whack, and in some cases, this is what’s causing pain or unwellness.
It’s very interesting stuff. But the average person who has struggled to overcome their condition with traditional therapy approaches will primarily want to know whether acupuncture works or not. TCM practitioners will tell you that it’s not guaranteed to be effective, but for most patients it is very helpful. This isn’t a one-and-done solution, but if patients see an acupuncture therapy treatment through from start to finish, then they will very likely be pleased with the results.
Different Benefits of Acupuncture
Once you have learned about meridian pathways in the body and how they work in symmetry with the brain, then most skepticism about the effectiveness of acupuncture disappear. And quite often if there is chronic pain involved, then many individuals have increased interest in trying it. Acupuncture has been proven effective in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, and in general many of the approaches they take are superior to Western medicine and especially when it comes to treating chronic ailments without relying mostly on pharmacology.
So, if you’re thinking to try acupuncture for what’s ailing you or making your life difficult then you should investigate it. Acupuncture for arthritis is increasingly popular in North American and it does work well for some people. People who have acupuncture for knee arthritis will find it’s effective if you’re able to get closer to a healthier body weight. The relationship between excess body weight and developing osteoarthritis is that for every 10lb of excess body weight you put an extra 30 to 50lbs of body weight onto your knees depending on the length of your femur bones.
Pain relief is primary, but there are other benefits of acupuncture that will appeal to people. Getting acupuncture for fibromyalgia pain relief works well too, and people who are chronic migraine sufferers should make a consultation with an acupuncturist too. There’s been plenty of talk on online health discussion forums about how having acupuncture for migraines can be rely effective for enhancing the results they get from migraine headache medication. Acupuncture can be effective for acne reduction, and digestive dysfunction sufferers have reported that acupuncture can help with Crohn’s and Colitis treatment.
Ladies Take Note
Any women who are going through menopause will have their ears perk up if they hear acupuncture for menopause hot flashes CAN tame the intensity of them. Acupuncture can be effective for treating urinary incontinence in women as well. Women who are trying to conceive may want to consider acupuncture as part of their fertility treatment.
In addition to the above mentioned benefits, receiving needles as part of a foot neuropathy treatment is one of the benefits of acupuncture too, and with these treatments it is also common for the acupuncturist to use moxibustion along with the needles, which is when mugwort (a small spongey herb) is burned in one of two methods; either directly on the skin or right above it before application. Any type of pain if very temporary though, although with some moxibustion techniques there may be some mild burning of the skin.
This is nothing serious though, and maybe we can see this as a no pain, no gain type of situation. Especially considering how there are so many benefits of acupuncture and with so many of the different acupuncture techniques get the superior therapy results they do because of adding moxibustion to the needling.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The above information is intended to increase awareness of health information and does not suggest treatment or diagnosis. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
