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Acupuncture
What is acupuncture? Acupuncture is an ancient healing art which many believe dates back to 407-310 B.C. It is a therapeutic method which uses the insertion of fine needles into specific points in the body to control pain and stimulate healing. Modern research has proven that the body responds to the needle by producing its own natural substances such as endorphins, which control pain, reduce inflammation and promote healing. Since these substances are produced by your own body the side-effects are minimal when compared to using prescription drugs. According to ancient theory, acupuncture allows Qi (energy) to flow to areas where it is deficient and away from where it is in excess. In this way, acupuncture regulates and restores the harmonious energetic balance of the body. In Chinese there is a saying, "if there is pain, there is no free flow:" This refers to the lack of energy flow, known as absent or reduced qi. What problems can be treated by acupuncture?Commonly Treated Conditions Include:
In addition, the World Health Organization has recognized that acupuncture benefits over thirty conditions which include:
How many acupuncture treatments will I need? Patients often experience the most dramatic results in the first treatment. However treatment depends upon the duration, severity, and nature of your complaint. You may need only a single treatment for an acute condition or a series of five to fifteen treatments to resolve a chronic problem. Some degenerative conditions may require many treatments over time. Acupuncture combined with Herbs and a balanced diet and lifestyle help one to live a long productive and healthy life. Does Acupuncture hurt? No, not really. The needles are too fine and smooth to be felt. Some people describe the feeling as a minimal discomfort. If your practitioner has obtained the correct stimulus of the needle, the patient should feel some cramping, heaviness, distention, tingling, or electric sensation either around the needle or traveling up or down the affected meridian, or energy pathway. In any case, if you experience any discomfort, it is usually mild. However, due to the fact that the sensation of pain remains quite subjective, there are a lot of treatment options out there to consider as alternatives, including Moxibustion, Cupping, Tui-Na, Qi Gong, Magnetic Acupressure and Laser Acupuncture, where there is absolutely no pain or risk of infection. What if I'm afraid of needles? Low power laser and low frequency electrical current can be used to stimulate appropriate points.Is it Safe? How deep do the needles go? Yes, very safe. Needle insertion depends upon the nature of the problem, the location of the points selected, the patient's size, age, and constitution, and upon the acupuncturist's style or school. Usually, needles are inserted from 1/4 to 1 inch in depth. Acupuncture needles are very, very thin and flexible. Nerves, blood, and lymph vessels are elastic and quite easily move out the way. A professional health care provider only uses sterilized, individually packaged, disposable needles. The skin is swabbed with alcohol to prevent infection. This eliminates the possibility of transmitting a communicable disease by a contaminated needle. You may also prefer to use LASER ACUPUNCTURE as an alternative. If you have any questions about this, please call us or email us. Our Qualifications At Albion Hills Physiotherapy, all of our physiotherapists have extensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology through rigorous University training. We apply an anatomical approach to acupuncture and compliment it with TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) theory, using it to influence the nervous system in order to control pain and promote healing. |