Acupuncture

A Chinese method of therapy that is more than 1,000 years old, acupuncture is the use of long, thin needles that are inserted through the skin at various depths and points on a patient’s body. Traditional scientists do not fully understand how or why exactly acupuncture works, but there are a number of reliable studies that show acupuncture to have a variety of medical benefits, including everything from pain reduction to helping with nausea associated with chemotherapy. Because of this and other reasons, acupuncture is continuing to grow in popularity across the United States and the world.

A typical acupuncture treatment is a series of treatments either once or twice per week, often adding up to a total of twelve treatment sessions. Each session usually last about thirty minutes and includes an exam, needles insertion (they are left in place for five to twenty minutes), and a discussion with the acupuncturist. And though some patients experience a short, sharp sensation with the needles are inserted, acupuncture is generally not painful.

In Chinese medicine, health relates to the balance of a person’s life force, or chi. Illness is directly related to an imbalance in your life force. Your chi flows through pathways in your body and can be reached by acupuncture needles at over 350 points. Needles are inserted into certain points to correct any imbalances that you may have in your chi and, thus, can restore your body to a state of balance and health.

Related Information

Back Pain
Has your back pain been ongoing? You may need a doctor’s care.

Alternative Medicine
Complementary and alternative medicine can be a great way to restore health.