This is done by placing needles into specific points on the skin to help activate an energy in the body, called qi pronounced chee. According to traditional Chinese medicine, qi is the lifeforce energy in the body — it helps regulate and move things in the body to keep us well.
Stress, environmental factors, lifestyle behaviors, and genetics are some of the things that can block qi in the body. Acupuncturists use needles to unblock or move qi to other areas in the body to help you heal. A: In China, acupuncture is used to treat everything.
For example, in China, acupuncture is often used as a complementary treatment for all sorts of health conditions, everything from asthma to diabetes. In the West, however, acupuncture is more commonly used as part of a care plan for conditions like low back pain or joint pain. A: The acupuncturist will ask about your medical history and symptoms.
In addition, they may look at your tongue. This is a way for them to find any imbalances in your body. These are energy channels in the body. Through thousands of years of learning, traditional Chinese medicine has compiled very complete and complex systems of meridians.
The acupuncturist puts needles into those meridians to help regulate and move the body back to homeostasis, or wellness. Typically, sessions may go for 20 to 30 minutes depending on your treatment. The acupuncturist will usually dim the lights and put on quiet music to help you relax.
Some patients actually fall asleep during the treatment. Your own doctor may be a good resource for referrals to a licensed or certified practitioner.
Friends and family members may also be good sources of referrals. You do not have to be a doctor to practice acupuncture or to become a certified acupuncturist. About 30 states have established training standards for certification in acupuncture, although not all states require acupuncturists to get a license to practice.
Although not all certified acupuncturists are doctors, the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture can provide a referral list of doctors who practice acupuncture. Consider costs and insurance coverage. Before starting treatment, ask the acupuncturist about the number of treatments needed and how much the treatments will cost. Some insurers cover the cost of acupuncture while others do not. It is important to know before you start treatment whether acupuncture is covered by your insurance.
Health Home Wellness and Prevention. Studies have shown that acupuncture is effective for a variety of conditions. What does acupuncture feel like? Instead of needles, other forms of stimulation are sometimes used over the acupuncture points, including: Heat moxibustion Pressure acupressure Friction Suction cupping Impulses of electromagnetic energy How does acupuncture affect the body?
National Institutes of Health NIH studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment alone or in combination with conventional therapies to treat the following: Nausea caused by surgical anesthesia and cancer chemotherapy Dental pain after surgery Addiction Headaches Menstrual cramps Tennis elbow Fibromyalgia Myofascial pain Osteoarthritis Low back pain Carpal tunnel syndrome Asthma It may also help with stroke rehabilitation.
What conditions may benefit from acupuncture? Gastritis Irritable bowel syndrome Hepatitis Hemorrhoids. Anxiety Depression Insomnia Nervousness Neurosis.
Irritable bladder Prostatitis Male infertility Some forms of impotence Addiction. Acupuncture needles are inserted very carefully into meridians or acupoints. When they penetrate the skin it is not a painful sensation but more of a prick or awareness that something has penetrated your skin. A highly-skilled acupuncturist can insert needles without the patient feeling much sensation.
When the needles have been inserted your acupuncturist will manipulate them by twisting, turning or moving them around. You may feel some numbness, tingling, heat or energy around the site of the insertion.
You will be aware that the needles have been inserted but the sensation is more like discomfort than pain. The sensation you feel when the needles are inserted is known as De-qi. If it is not felt with the insertion of the needles, they may need to be manipulated further. A traditional form of Chinese medicine, acupuncture is based on the belief that the human body is composed of blood and Qi.
Qi is energy that flows through the meridians of the body, transferring energy from one acupuncture point to another. The meridians are channels throughout the body that link its different parts and which facilitate the flow of Qi.
What we expose ourselves to influences the flow of Qi through the body. Our diet, exercise, emotions, and the thoughts we think to ourselves can all cause blockages in our Qi. Through the gentle insertion of acupuncture needles and their manipulation, your acupuncturist can help to clear blockages and restore flow to your Qi again. Acupuncture is a complementary therapy and is often used in conjunction with other treatments like moxibustion, cupping, and Chinese herbal medicine.
Acupuncture is a non-invasive type of pain relief that is drug-free. It is also an appropriate form of treatment for a broad range of ailments both chronic and acute.
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