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Back to Your Health
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese healing technique that involves
stimulating specific points in the body by inserting fine needles.
The Chinese believe that the needles help restore the smooth flow
of qi, or energy flow, through the body. Any blockage or imbalance
in qi, they believe, can result in pain or even illness. Thus, in
Chinese philosophy, the application of acupuncture extends beyond
pain relief to the treatment of many other ailments. There are even
seasonal balancing therapies to avoid colds and the flu.
Far too often in the medical professions, a patient is told after
extensive examination, "There is nothing wrong," "It
is all in your head," or "Sorry, you will have to learn
to live with it." The examining doctor unable to find the cause
of the problem has little else to tell the patient. Fortunately,
many physicians are now referring their patients for an acupuncture
evaluation as a last resort.
The human body's energy flow courses over twelve meridians or channels
that are normally well balanced. If a disruption of energy flow
exists, it can alter the entire system, producing pain or symptoms
in the body.
One would assume inserting a needle into the skin would be painful
since most of us can relate to being stuck with a pin or having
a hypodermic injection. However, four acupuncture needles can be
easily inserted into the hollow tube of a hypodermic needle. Because
of the extreme slenderness of the needle, most people compare the
sensations "less than a mosquito bite." A phenomena referred
to as "Tenchi" occurs when the energy is contacted. This
sensation is felt as a mild to moderate heaviness or tingling.
Needles obviously still have their place in clinical practice.
However, many physicians certified in acupuncture and licensed Acupuncturists
are employing electronic and laser stimulation to the Acupoint with
the equal effectiveness as the needle. Both of these procedures
are painless and are quickly becoming standard worldwide.
Acupuncture textbooks list well over one hundred different conditions
that respond well to acupuncture. The World Health Organization,
working in close harmony with the International Acupuncture training
center of the Shangai College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, has
indicated Acupuncture is effective in the following conditions:
- acute and chronic pain relief
- migraine
- tension cluster and sinus headaches
- trigeminal Neuralgia
- bladder dysfunction
- bed wetting
- cervical pain
- mid-back pain
- low shoulders
- tennis elbow
- post-operative pain relief
- gastric problems
- asthma
- allergies
- skin conditions
- hemorrhoids
- abnormal blood pressure
- fatigue
- neurolic syndrome
- various eye problems
- and more.
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