Acupuncture Therapy
Acupuncture treatments involve the use of very thin, sterile and disposable needles. These needles are inserted into specific acupuncture points, of which there are almost one thousand in the body. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is believed that there are energy channels called meridians that run below the surface of the skin; energy flows through the body within these channels. When there is an imbalance, shortage, or blockage of the energy within the meridian, disease or pain results. It is thought that the stimulation of the various acupuncture points with the insertion of the needles results in a restoration of the normal flow of the energy within the meridian.
While the Chinese had been utilizing acupuncture for over three thousand years, it wasn’t until the early 1970’s until acupuncture came to North America. While western-trained health care professionals did not readily accept acupuncture, there was a great deal of intrigue with the results that were obtained from this ancient form of healing. They saw that the treatment worked, they just didn’t accept the meridian theory. Since that time, volumes of research have been completed to get a better understanding of how and why this treatment works. One presently accepted theory is derived from the fact that a great deal of these acupuncture points correlate with the location of nerves within the body. When a needle is inserted into one of these acupuncture points, it stimulates the nerve, causing the release of neurotransmitters, which are special chemicals that the body produces to communicate with cells in the body. Endorphin, the body’s natural painkiller, is released causing a reduction in pain perception. It has also been shown that acupuncture causes a rise in Serotonin and Histamines levels, which are important to promote the healing response. As such, when treating a painful condition, the goals of treatment include pain relief, a reduction in inflammation within the tissue, increased circultion to the region, and the promotion of healing.
While the Chinese had been utilizing acupuncture for over three thousand years, it wasn’t until the early 1970’s until acupuncture came to North America. While western-trained health care professionals did not readily accept acupuncture, there was a great deal of intrigue with the results that were obtained from this ancient form of healing. They saw that the treatment worked, they just didn’t accept the meridian theory. Since that time, volumes of research have been completed to get a better understanding of how and why this treatment works. One presently accepted theory is derived from the fact that a great deal of these acupuncture points correlate with the location of nerves within the body. When a needle is inserted into one of these acupuncture points, it stimulates the nerve, causing the release of neurotransmitters, which are special chemicals that the body produces to communicate with cells in the body. Endorphin, the body’s natural painkiller, is released causing a reduction in pain perception. It has also been shown that acupuncture causes a rise in Serotonin and Histamines levels, which are important to promote the healing response. As such, when treating a painful condition, the goals of treatment include pain relief, a reduction in inflammation within the tissue, increased circultion to the region, and the promotion of healing.
