Acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese medicine and has been practiced for centuries. Over the years, many of the benefits of acupuncture have been discovered, which is why it is still practiced today to help treat various ailments. However, many people are still unaware of the full benefits of acupuncture.
In this article, we'll explain exactly what acupuncture is , how it works and what its benefits are.
What is acupuncture?
As we've already established, acupuncture has its roots in traditional Chinese medicine. This tradition dates back to around 100 BC, and originally used pointed stones instead of the famous needles.
Thus, over time and today, the acupuncture procedure uses extremely fine, regulated needles.
It's common to ask how acupuncture works , and the answer is simple: Chinese tradition believed that inserting needles into the skin at strategic points regulated an individual's energy and thus helped to treat their ailments. However, in both China and the West, the use of needles began to focus on various strategic nerves, muscles and connective tissues.
What is acupuncture used for?
Thus, the uses and benefits of modern acupuncture are manifold. In principle, asacupuncture acts by applying pressure to various nerves, it is used to relieve pain.
The types of pain that acupuncture can relieve are varied, ranging from back and neck pain to migraines and chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia. In the case ofacupuncture for pain, fewside effects have been observed with acupuncture for back pain.
Acupuncture has also proved useful for relieving nausea and facilitating recovery from sports injuries.
In recent years, the use of acupuncture to relieve stress in general has also become popular.
Side effects of acupuncture
According to the UK's National Health Service, if performed in a certified facility and by practitioners using good quality needles, the side effects of acupuncture are few and far between.
Among the most common side effects of acupuncture, it has been identified that some people may experience pain with the needles, bleeding or bruising after the session, but these are not side effects to be feared.
On the other hand, acupuncture is not recommended for people with bleeding disorders or taking anticoagulant medication. You should also avoid acupuncture treatment if you are allergic to metal.
Finally, if you are pregnant, you must inform the practitioner, as certain pressure points must not be touched during pregnancy.
Key benefits of acupuncture
With this in mind, we're going to tell you about the benefits of acupuncture so that you can decide to try this natural alternative treatment. If you would like to have the procedure performed in the Canadian region, we recommend Clinique Physiobalance.
1. Relieves headaches
The Migraine Foundation of America published a study in which a group of chronic migraine sufferers reported an improvement of over 50% using acupuncture, and not only that, but the effects of these treatments lasted for up to six months.
If you're wondering how acupuncture works for headaches, it's simple. Needles are inserted into pressure points on the back and neck, and sometimes the head is massaged too.
2. An excellent treatment for muscular pain.
One of the most widely recognized benefits of acupuncture worldwide is the relief of muscular pain.Acupuncture for pain has been proven effective for centuries.
What's more, acupuncture for back pain has fewside effects, unlike powerful painkillers.
In this way,acupuncture for pain is performed according to the individual's ailments. So if you suffer from neck pain, for example, treatment will focus on inserting needles into areas connected to the neck.
3. Helps treat allergies and asthma
Several studies have shown that one of the benefits of acupuncture is its use in the treatment of allergies and asthma, particularly allergic asthma. Indeed, among the long list of benefits of acupuncture is the strengthening of the immune system.
Acupuncture is effective in reducing allergy symptoms such as excess mucus or puffy eyes, as well as reducing the number of asthma attacks. On the other hand, other studies claim that acupuncture reduces inflammatory proteins, which are responsible for allergy-related congestion.
4. Improve your sleep
The pressure exerted on the nerves by acupuncture stimulates the nervous system and has therefore been shown to improve sleep. So, if you suffer from insomnia, acupuncture can be a useful treatment, especially if you've noticed that your medication isn't having the same effect as in the past.
What's more, acupuncture not only stimulates the nervous system, but also reduces stress. Reducing stress and the adrenalin it provokes means you sleep better at night.
5. Reduce stress
As mentioned above, the benefits of acupuncture are not limited to existing conditions such as chronic pain. Thus, the use of this natural treatment for stress reduction and general well-being is becoming increasingly common.
The pressure exerted by the needles is excellent for releasing tension and reducing stress-producing hormones. If you've had a difficult few weeks, a session of acupuncture can be a great help.
We hope you found this article helpful in learning about the benefits of acupuncture. For more information on alternative therapies and pain management, please visit our blog.