What Is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture uses specially placed thin needles to enhance the natural healing ability of the body. Acupuncture needles are about half the size of the smallest sized needles used for injection. In contrast to a needle used for injection, which is hollow with a cutting tip, an acupuncture needle is solid and smooth.
The Food and Drug Administration considers acupuncture needles to be legitimate medical instruments and The National Institute of Health has endorsed the use of acupuncture for many conditions.
Acupuncture has developed in many countries, over many centuries, with many different technique styles evolving. No single method is superior, although different styles may better suit different patients or different problems.
What Conditions Can Acupuncture Treat?
In western medicine, acupuncture is best recognized for it's role in pain management. Types of pain that seem to respond especially well to acupuncture include:
- Low back and leg pain
- Neck pain
- Headache Shoulder pain
- Arthritis Knee pain
Many other conditions such as digestive issues, genitourinary conditions, smoking addiction, depression and anxiety may also respond well to acupuncture treatment. These conditions are best treated by a practitioner who utilizes Traditional Chinese Acupuncture methods.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
Several processes have been proposed to explain acupuncture's effects, primarily those on pain. Acupuncture treatment is believed to:
- release of natural pain killers and hormones that influence the body's self-regulating systems
- stimulate the body's natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being
- affect the body's natural electromagnetic fields