Acupuncture may appear scary, but there is evidence that it can help – a lot.
Acupuncture is a 2500-year-old healing technique of conventional Chinese medicine. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), in the year 1997, recognized and propagated acupuncture’s safety and effectiveness for treating different ailments. Many insurance coverages now cover acupuncture, most commonly used to relieve pain.
Do you think acupuncture is a painful treatment even though it has many validated benefits? Acupuncture can be petrifying if you’re new to holistic health as a treatment option. However, acupuncture is not the excruciatingly painful treatment you may imagine.
According to research, it can help reduce pain, and it is used to treat a variety of other ailments. Acupuncture is regarded by some as a “miracle” for enhancing one’s quality of life, as it is thought to treat everything from allergies to depression to morning sickness and cramping.
If you listen to aficionados, the prickly treatment almost seems like a panacea — but is it? Read on to find out.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a minimally intrusive way of stimulating nerve-rich areas of the skin surface to impact tissues, organs, glands, and numerous physiological processes.
Each acupuncture needle causes minor damage at the insertion site, which, while minor enough to cause little to no discomfort, is still enough for a signal to the body to respond. The immune system stimulates, circulation improves, the wound heals, and pain reduces due to this response.
When the needles are inserted, many patients report minor uneasiness. The needle is inserted into the area that is causing the discomfort or pain. The needles may be heated or subjected to a small electric current during the therapy. People who receive acupuncture are believed to feel energized, and others say they feel comfortable.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
In Chinese medicine, Qi refers to the energy that flows through the body. According to Chinese medicine, imbalances in the body can lead to illnesses. According to the traditional Chinese school of thought, health is the consequence of a harmonious balance of the complementary extremes of the life energy known as “Qi,” pronounced “Chi.” A force imbalance is said to be the cause of diseases.
Qi is thought to flow through the human body’s meridians or pathways. Over 350 acupuncture sites on the body provide access to these meridians and energy pathways.
The energy flow is supposed to be rebalanced by inserting needles into these points in the right combinations.
There is no scientific proof that the meridians/acupuncture points exist, and it is challenging to prove that they do or do not exist. However, several studies indicate that acupuncture can assist with many conditions, and some specialists have used neuroscience to elucidate acupuncture.
Acupuncture points stimulate the nerves, connective tissues, and muscles. The stimulation increases blood flow while also activating the body’s natural painkillers.
Because of the intrusive nature of acupuncture, it isn’t easy to set up studies with sufficient scientific controls. For outcomes to be compared with those of actual acupuncture, a control group would have to receive sham treatment, or a placebo, in clinical research.
Research has shown that acupuncture has comparable advantages to a placebo, while some research shows acupuncture has some substantial benefits.
Uses of Acupuncture
A study conducted in Germany found that acupuncture can help with tension headaches and migraines.
According to the NCCIH, it has been shown to assist in the following situations:
- Low backache
- Neck ache
- Osteoarthritis
- Pain in the knees
- Migraine and headache
They go on to describe a number of other conditions that may benefit from acupuncture, but that need more research.
The World Health Organization (WHO) published a list of ailments that acupuncture can cure.
These comprise:
- Allergic rhinitis
- Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting
- Dental pain
- Dysentery
- Facial pain
- High and low blood pressure
- Inducing labor
- Morning sickness
- Painful periods
- Reducing the risk of stroke
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sciatica
- Some gastric conditions, including peptic ulcer
- Sprains
- Tennis elbow
According to the WHO, acupuncture may assist with the following conditions, although further research is needed.
- Fibromyalgia
- Neuralgia
- Postoperative convalescence
- Spine pain
- Stiff neck
- Substance, tobacco, and alcohol dependence
- Tourette syndrome
- Vascular dementia
- Whooping cough, or pertussis
- Urinary tract infections
- Epidemic hemorrhagic fever
Benefits of Acupuncture
Acupuncture can help in the following ways
- It is safe if done correctly.
- There are not many negative side effects.
- It can be used in conjunction with other treatments to great effect.
- It can alleviate some types of pain.
- It may benefit patients who are unable to take pain medications.
Some of the benefits of acupuncture are:
Pain Relief
Pain reduction, such as migraines, muscle inflammation, osteoarthritis, and back pain, is one of the most common benefits of acupuncture.
Acupuncture is very effective in reducing low back pain. The American Pain Society and the American College of Physicians endorse it as a treatment option for persistent back pain.
Stress Relief
Acupuncture points can help energy flow more smoothly and reduce stress and anxiety. It reduces stress by releasing endorphins, which are pain-killing molecules produced naturally in the brain.
Acupuncture also promotes blood circulation throughout the body, oxygenating the tissues while cycling away cortisol and other undesirable substances. The relaxing properties of acupuncture help in stress reduction…
Respiratory Ailments
The lungs are responsible for receiving oxygen into the blood, and acupuncture stimulates blood flow.
Acupuncture has been shown to help individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, asthma, and breathlessness.
Digestive Ailments
Acupuncture has been shown to help with irritable bowel syndrome, chronic gastritis, and other conditions. Stress aggravates several chronic digestive disorders such as gastritis and irritable bowel syndrome.
Acupuncture has also proven to help control gastric acid secretion, which aids in treating many digestive problems.
Fertility Issues
Acupuncture is being used by an increasing number of couples who are struggling with infertility. Acupuncture for infertility is still in its early stages; however, it is already promising.
This could be due to its ability to alleviate stress – as stress can worsen infertility – or increase blood circulation or control hormones.
Urological Disorders
Acupuncture can treat urological disorders by stimulating and impeding different urinary tract functions.
Research findings have shown that acupuncture can assist with urinary stones, incontinence, and urinary tract infections.
Results of Pain
Since everyone responds to and experiences acupuncture differently, it’s practically hard to anticipate what to expect in terms of results.
There is no one-size-fits-all response to acupuncture. Some feel energized and refreshed, while others feel tired or exhausted. Some people notice an improvement right away, while others may require several treatments before they see a positive change.
The most common reaction to acupuncture, on the other hand?
People are satisfied and comfortable. While it is difficult to put into words, acupuncture gives most individuals a unique balanced and harmonious feeling, and it feels good!
Some can feel tired following a treatment and notice changes in their eating, bowel, and sleeping habits, or they may not notice any changes at all.
Final Thoughts
Several studies have found that acupuncture can help with chronic pain conditions such as low back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis/knee pain. It can prevent headaches/migraine and reduce the incidence of tension headaches.
As a result, acupuncture looks to be a viable therapy for patients suffering from chronic pain. On the other hand, clinical practice guidelines differ in their recommendations for acupuncture.
The effects of acupuncture on the brain and body and the best ways to assess them are still being researched. According to current studies, many factors unrelated to acupuncture needles, such as expectancy and belief, appear to have a role in the pain-relieving effects of acupuncture. Acupuncture treatments, on the other hand, have been shown to improve life quality and thus lead to longevity.
