What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the insertions of extremely thin filiform needles into various points on the body for the purpose of health improvement. The practice originated in China approximately 3500 years ago but has started to become well known in the US and Europe only in the last several decades. Nearly 1 in 10 adults in the US have tried it at this point. Acupuncture’s mechanism is widely speculated about, but we do know that it works based off of many empirical clinical studies. How it works is another thing. Traditionally it is said that the acupuncture needles balance the body’s Qi, or energy.
What is Qi?
Well, if it’s energy then it could be many things. It could be some sort of natural, probably electromagnetic, energy flow in the body- which is known to exist scientifically. The word Qi could also just simply refer to blood flow, immune response, nervous system response, reflex response, or local tissue response. These are all different kinds of energy as well. Still, whatever the ultimate reason is found to be, we don’t have to wait 100 years until its discovered. We can just get treated today and experience its seemingly miraculous results.
Does it hurt?
No. Mostly patients just experience relaxation and a sense of energy or blood flow in the body, along with improvement of symptoms.
Is acupuncture safe?
Yes. It is drug and side-effect free, with an extremely good safety record.
Can I do acupuncture alongside my regular medical treatments?
Yes, there is never a conflict. Acupuncture uses the body’s own internal resources to repair itself. In fact, acupuncture supports other medical approaches. You can continue your regular medications.
Can acupuncture be used for traumatic, acute, or sports related injuries?
Yes. It is excellent for these situations and can speed up healing and ease pain.
How many treatments will it take?
This varies greatly depending on the situation. Some conditions improve immediately, while some take longer.