Acupuncture
What is Acupuncture or Dry Needling?
Western Medical
Acupuncture, Chinese, Japanese or Dry Needling
all use acupuncture needles to stimulate
specific points in the body and work by
effective stimulation to induce a focused and
rapid response for the body to heal itself.
Results may be felt rapidly but more often the
reactions are sustained over a long period
A mild electrical
current or gentle manipulation of the needles is
used to provide additional stimulation of the
points to produce a more urgent response.
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How
Does Acupuncture Work?
The classical Chinese
explanation is that channels of energy (Qi) run
in regular patterns through the body and over
its surface. These energy channels, called
meridians, are like rivers flowing through the
body to irrigate and nourish the tissues. An
obstruction in the movement of these energy
rivers is like a dam that backs up the flow in
one part of the body and restricts it in others.
The meridians can be influenced by needling the
acupuncture points; the acupuncture needles
unblock the obstructions and re-establish the
regular flow through the meridians. Acupuncture
treatment can help the body's internal organs to
correct imbalances in digestion, absorption, and
energy.
The modern scientific
explanation is that needling in the acupuncture
points stimulates the nervous system to release
endorphins and other chemicals in the muscles,
spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals either
change the experience of pain or trigger the
release of other substances and hormones, which
influence the body's internal regulating system.
The improved energy and biochemical balance
produced by acupuncture results in stimulation
of the body's natural healing abilities.
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What
Can be Treated with Medical Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is often
associated with pain control, but has much
broader applications.
The World Health
Organization recognises the use of acupuncture
in the treatment of over 40 medical problems,
including:
- Digestive
disorders: reflux, indigestion, gastritis
and hyper-acidity, irritable bowel syndrome,
spastic colon, constipation, diarrhoea.
- Respiratory
disorders, allergies, sinusitis, sore
throat, bronchitis, asthma, recurrent chest
infections.
- Neurological and
muscular disorders: fibromyalgia, headaches,
facial tics, neck pain, rib neuritis, frozen
shoulder, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel and
other forms of tendonitis, low back pain,
sciatica, osteoarthritis, sports injuries.
- Urinary, menstrual,
and reproductive problems including
infertility, pelvic, sacral and coccyx pain
- Psycho-Emotional &
Neurological Disorders: Depression, Anxiety,
Panic Disorders, Addiction, Insomnia,
Migraines and Tension Headaches, Trigeminal
Neuralgia, Fertility and conception
Disorders, Prenatal and Post-partum care,
PMS, Menstrual Disorders & Menopausal
symptoms.
- Acupuncture is
particularly useful in resolving physical
problems related to tension, stress and
emotional conditions.
In 2002, a German study
indicated that women who received acupuncture
with western fertility treatments had a success
rate of 43%, while the control group who
received western fertility treatments without
acupuncture, had a much lower success rate of
26%.
(Fertility and Sterility, Vol. 77, No.4, April
2002.)
How
Many Treatments Will I Need?
 The
number of treatments needed varies from person
to person. For chronic conditions, weekly
treatment is usual until a good response is
achieved. This may take 6 to 8 treatments, but
sometimes longer treatment may be necessary.
Once there is no further improvement, treatment
intervals will be spaced further apart to
maintain the benefit.
For acute problems fewer
visits are usually necessary.
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Are
There Any Side Effects to the Treatment?
As internal chemicals
and hormones are stimulated and healing begins
to take place the original symptoms may worsen
for a few days with general changes in appetite,
sleep, bowel, urinary patterns or emotional
state.
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What
Are the Needles Like? Is it painful ?
Most patients feel
minimal pain as the needles are inserted; most
feel no pain at all. Once the needles are in
place, there may be a mild ache in the area.
Acupuncture needles are very thin and are made
from stainless steel. The point is smooth and
insertion through the skin is not painful .There
is minimal risk of bruising or skin irritation.
At Back 2 Fitness
disposable needles in sterilised packaging are
used once only so that there is no risk of
infection.
Creating a healthy
balance firstly within ourselves and then
amongst our friends, family and community helps
us build a better and happier life.
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