For several centuries, the practice of acupuncture has been effectively employed in treating a variety of conditions and diseases. By alleviating pain, reducing stress, and providing other health benefits, acupuncture can help you improve your overall health and well-being.
Although pain relief is the primary benefit associated with acupuncture, it can address a host of other mental and physical issues. The therapy relies on the idea that certain energy forms use your skin to enter your brain and other body parts. The free flow of this energy (or Chi) is essential for good health, and acupuncture aims to remove any blockages that might be preventing this seamless energy flow.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into specific known acupuncture points located throughout the body. By restoring the body’s natural balance and ‘chi’ flow, acupuncturists promote relaxation and trigger healing and recovery.
According to theory, acupuncture promotes the release of dopamine and serotonin, resulting in pain relief. It is also believed that the practice addresses body functions and blood flow by affecting the autonomic nervous system – thereby reducing inflammation and relaxing the brain. The acupuncture results in body’s energy to revitalize the joints and restore function.
Acupuncture for Health & Wellness
Now that you have a basic idea about the mechanisms of acupuncture, we can discuss how this procedure can positively impact your physical, mental, and spiritual health.
Stress reduction
If you have thought about acupuncture for relaxation, there is no better time than the present to try it. Before you start using acupuncture for relaxation, it is important to understand what acupuncture is, what it most benefits, and why it contributes to relaxation. If you are worried about anxiety, depression, anxiety disorders, or other mental health problems, acupuncture may be one of the possible answers. Let’s explore the many benefits acupuncture has against stress as there are many myths about the different benefits and the way it increases productivity. If you're not sure yet about acupuncture for relaxation, here are a few important facts to be aware of.
Acupuncture has proven to be an effective solution to a wide range of stress-related issues, including depression and anxiety disorders. Let us explore how this ancient medical practice can help you improve and regulate your mental health:
1) By getting your body in a state of deep relaxation, acupuncture normalizes the functioning of your autonomic nervous system. Several studies have shown acupuncture to be effective in debilitating cases of anxiety and depression, and the intense pain that often accompanies these conditions. When your stress levels are lower, it also leads to better sleep and alleviation of sleep conditions like insomnia, sleep apnea, and even chronic fatigue.
2) Today’s world is full of stress triggers, and therefore, people need a way to calm their bodies and minds. Acupuncture rejuvenates the body and is an excellent treatment for chronic stress and its long-term negative effects (more on that below).
3) Not only can stress impact your mental health, but it can also wreak havoc on your physical body, causing a wide range of illnesses and disorders, including cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Again, acupuncture can help you mitigate the possibilities of such diseases by addressing your immediate and long-term mental stress and other mental health issues. People suffering from long-term stress often find considerable relief within the first six to ten acupuncture treatments. Hence, for best results, you should continue your treatment for a minimum of a few weeks.
4) By optimizing the functioning of your endocrine glands like the hypothalamus and adrenal glands, acupuncture plays a vital role in the release of endorphins – hormones that boost your mood and, as a result, reduce your stress and anxiety.
Chinese medicine uses a combination of acupuncture and other natural herbs to treat stress and panic disorders and to relieve pain. If you wish to try acupuncture, we can help you prepare a personalized treatment plan.
Chronic pain (such as headaches, back pain, neck pain, and joint pain) reduction
Enduring needle pricks is probably the last thing you want to be doing when dealing with pain, but acupuncture can work wonders for people struggling with pain. The therapy has proven fruitful in alleviating various kinds of pains and discomfort, as well as changing pain perception and increasing tolerance. Acupuncture can help with neck, head, and back pain, as well as pain resulting from chronic conditions like osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia.
Scientific literature holds ample proof of acupuncture’s effectiveness in dealing with musculoskeletal disorders and chronic back pain. These scientific research findings show that acupuncture remains one of the most practicable and beneficial alternative methods for healing and well-being, even today. Clinical studies involving patients with back pain show the increased effectiveness of acupuncture, compared to conventional prescription drugs and therapies. This effectiveness is achieved by inactivating the pain source and subsequently altering the level of pain.
Migraine relief
People struggling with migraines and chronic headaches often have to resign to a life of painkillers and prescription drugs which may or may not prove effective. Acupuncture has proven to be a promising substitute for conventional treatments and without side-effects. One study shows that acupuncture therapy for migraine results in long-term symptomatic improvement, as compared to treating the condition with prescription drugs, which provide only short-lived relief. This comprehensive study, involving over 4,000 participants, found that 62% of the patients treated with acupuncture reported relief, compared to only 20% for their conventionally-treated counterparts.
Not only does acupuncture treat ongoing migraines, but it also helps prevent future occurrence. A common type of headache, resembling migraines and tension, is called a ‘cervicogenic’ headache. Cervicogenic headaches can often occur as a secondary symptom of diseases like chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety, and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). A detailed diagnosis determines the cause and nature of migraine attacks, and the acupuncturist determines the acupuncture points based on that diagnosis. By activating the parasympathetic nervous system, acupuncture can not only reduce muscle tension, but regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart rate.
Immune System Strengthening
As mentioned previously, acupuncture’s benefits extend well beyond pain relief and management – it is an easy and quick way to boost your immune system. Meridian acupuncture points make the body’s defenses more robust and enable them to fight diseases and infections more efficiently. Multiple acupuncture points can strengthen the immune system in different ways – let’s discuss how that happens.
If an underactive immune system is a problem, so is an overactive one, which is often responsible for autoimmune diseases such as lupus, fibromyalgia, and type 1 diabetes. Acupuncture can effectively suppress the immune system’s overactivity, while simultaneously strengthening it to make it more effective against killer cells and other foreign bodies responsible for destroying healthy organisms within our bodies. A nociceptive stimulus, acupuncture stimulates an inflammatory reaction at the acupuncture site, thereby triggering your immune, nervous, and endocrine systems. As these systems function with greater efficiency, they fend off foreign attacks, ease pain, and repair muscles throughout your body.
Energy increase
Acupuncture targets the lungs, liver, and digestive system to remove any blockages that might be preventing the free flow of energy throughout your body. The resulting increased ‘chi’ or energy flow makes you more active and robust. According to traditional Chinese medicine, negative energies can create pain and imbalance within the body. Inserting a fine, sterile needle at specific points in the meridian enables acupuncturists to regain this balance and provide patients with pain relief and relaxation. Once the treatment is over, the acupuncturist will advise you on how to maximize and maintain the benefits of acupuncture therapy.
.
Relief against digestive disorders
The World Health Organization rightly recognizes acupuncture as an effective treatment for digestive disorders and gut imbalances. Below are some of the digestive issues that can be successfully treated by acupuncture:
Allergies:
Stress has a direct negative effect on the immune system, which in turn makes you more susceptible to digestive tract allergies. By reducing stress, acupuncture normalizes the immune system and prevents allergies from resurfacing.
Constipation or Diarrhea:
Diarrhea and constipation are indicators of less-than-optimal digestive health and bowel functioning. After examining related symptoms and other balances, an acupuncturist can advise and execute a desirable acupuncture treatment plan.
Visit Natural Care Chiropractic for Acupuncture
The positive effects of acupuncture are wide-reaching, including greater mental health, reduced pain levels, better immune system functioning, smoother lymphatic circulation, and even spiritual healing. In addition, the treatment improves heart health, strengthens your muscles and bones, increases blood flow into the brain, optimizes the digestive system, and lowers blood pressure and sugar levels.
Incorporating holistic treatments such as acupuncture can improve overall health and lifestyle. If you think you are ready to use acupuncture to alleviate your pain and illnesses, feel free to contact Natural Care Chiropractic. It’s safe, non-invasive, and a great alternative for current treatments that no longer work well (if at all) for you.