What Is Acupuncture & How Does It Work?
What Is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in which practitioners stimulate specific points on the body by inserting thin needles into the skin. It is believed that the human body has over 2,000 acupuncture points which are connected by meridians. Qi is believed to be a flow of energy throughout the body, created by these meridians, which is responsible for our overall health. If Qi is not in equilibrium, our immune system is weakened, thereby causing sickness and disease. By stimulating certain points, Qi can be restored, improving general wellness and any adverse symptoms that may be experienced during the disruption of energy in the body.
Does Acupuncture Work?
The practice of acupuncture started in China and about 3,000 years ago. Many people turn to acupuncture as a source of relief from their symptoms when conventional treatments fail. Over the years, well-designed clinical trials have proved its efficacy in treating many clinical illnesses such as pain management, nausea relief, headache dissipation, and more. A 1997 report from a Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture recognized acupuncture as “widely practiced” by thousands of physicians, dentists, and physical therapists and other healthcare providers.
Global Advances in Health and Medicine has featured 15 articles on acupuncture, highlighting its role in treating migraines, its ability to help veterans overcome PTSD, its efficacy in alleviating the effects caused by multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy, and its use in diminishing pain, nausea, vomiting, and anxiety that many oncology patients experience. Functional MRIs are a form of modern science that can be used to assess the efficacy of acupuncture during treatments. It can tell us the differences between acupuncture points and can further verify the undeniable effects of the treatment.
Further, A 2010 study published in Brain Research, conducted by researchers at the University of York, found that acupuncture has a significant impact on neural structures. Analysis showed that acupuncture helps deactivate certain parts of the brain that are associated with processing pain, therefore, decreasing pain that is felt by patients.
What Does Acupuncture Feel Like?
Acupuncture is NOT painful. If there is any pain felt for longer than a few seconds, tell your acupuncturist because the needle is placed in a wrong location. Many people feel very minimal pain, if at all, and it is only felt for a few seconds right as the needle is being inserted. When placed correctly, there might be a weird overall body sensation, which is said to be the Qi moving it’s way through the meridians inside your body. Basically, it is energy that is being restored and helping to optimize overall wellness. This is totally normal and it is a reaction that we want. Other times, patients may not feel anything at all, which is totally fine as well. This does not mean that the treatment is not going to be effective.
What Conditions Might Acupuncture Be Useful For?
Before considering acupuncture treatments, talk to your healthcare provider to see if this is a good option for you. Always make sure you are going to a licensed acupuncturist or a naturopathic doctor who has had adequate training and is licensed to perform this type of treatment. Also note that acupuncture is covered by a variety of insurances so be sure to check with yours before paying out of pocket. Acupuncture has found to be very beneficial alone or in combination with other medical therapies for a variety of conditions. Here are some:
Digestive: IBS, gastritis, hepatitis, hemorrhoids, nausea & vomiting, constipation & diarrhea
Mind-Body: anxiety, depression, insomnia, nervousness, PTSD
EENT and respiratory: rhinitis, sinusitis, sore throat, bronchitis, allergies
Gynecological: PMS, amenorrhea, infertility, labor induction
Musculoskeletal: arthritis, carpal tunnel, back pain, muscle cramping, muscle weakness, neck pain, sciatica
Neuro: headaches, migraines, Parkinson’s, postoperative pain, stroke
Other: male infertility, smoking cessation, impotence, prostatitis, addiction
Check out these additional resources for more info and research articles about acupuncture:
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2011/02/understanding-acupuncture
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4104560/#R19
https://consensus.nih.gov/1997/1997acupuncture107html.htm
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/acupuncture