What Is Medical Acupuncture Therapy?

Medical Acupuncture is a method of encouraging the body to promote natural healing and to improve functioning. This is done by inserting needles at very precise acupuncture points. It also may involve enhancing the treatment by then and applying heat or electrical stimulation at those precise acupuncture points.

So How Does Medical Acupuncture Work?

The classical Chinese explanation is that channels of energy run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These energy channels, called meridians, are like rivers flowing through the body. An obstruction in the movement of these energy rivers is like a dam that backs up.

The meridians can be influenced by “needling” the acupuncture points; the acupuncture needles unblock the obstructions at the dams and re-establish the regular flow through the meridians. Acupuncture treatments can correct imbalances and assist energy production activities and the circulation of their energy through the meridians.

The modern scientific explanation is that needling the acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These chemicals will either change the experience of pain, or they will trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones which influence the body’s own internal regulating system.

The improved energy and biochemical balance produced by acupuncture results in stimulating the body’s natural healing abilities, and in promoting physical and emotional well-being.

How is Medical Acupuncture Different from Ordinary Acupuncture?

Since acupuncture is a very old medical art, and there are many approaches to learning and practicing it. Medical acupuncture is the term used to describe acupuncture performed by a doctor trained and licensed in Western medicine who has also had thorough training in acupuncture as a specialty practice. Such a practitioner can use one or the other approach, or a combination of both as the need arises, to treat pain and illness.

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What is the Goal of Medical Acupuncture Therapy?

Medical acupuncture therapy is a system that can influence three areas of health care:

• promotion of health and well-being,
• prevention of illness,
• treatment of various medical conditions.

While acupuncture is often associated with pain control, in the hands of a well-trained practitioner, it has much broader applications. Acupuncture can be effective as the only treatment used, or as the support or adjunct to other medical treatment forms in many medical and surgical disorders. The World Health Organization recognizes the use of acupuncture in the treatment of a wide range of medical problems, including:

• Digestive disorders: gastritis and hyperacidity, spastic colon, constipation, diarrhea.
• Respiratory disorders: sinusitis, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma, recurrent chest infections.
• Neurological and muscular disorders: headaches, facial tics, neck pain, rib neuritis, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, various forms of tendinitis, low back pain, sciatica, osteoarthritis.
• Urinary, menstrual, and reproductive problems.

Acupuncture is particularly useful in resolving physical problems related to tension and stress and emotional conditions.

Does Acupuncture Really Work?

Yes. In the past 2,000 years, more people have been successfully treated with acupuncture than with all other health modalities combined. Today acupuncture is practiced widely in Asia, the Soviet Union, and in Europe. It is now being used more and more in America by patients and physicians. Acupuncture treatments can be given at the same time other techniques are being used, such as conventional Western medicine, osteopathic or chiropractic adjustments, and homeopathic or naturopathic prescriptions. It is important that your physician-acupuncturist know everything that you are doing, so he or she can help you get the most benefit from all your treatments.

How Many Acupuncture Treatments Will I Need?

The number of treatments needed differs from person to person. Individualized programs are developed after a thorough initial diagnosis with our practitioner. As with other common treatment approaches, some conditions can respond quite quickly, with noticeable improvement experienced after only a few treatments. Since the goal is to stimulate our body’s innate healing ability, more complex or long-standing conditions typically require longer care plans, where positive health results occur more gradually.

Our care involves the diagnosis and treatment of mechanical disorders
of the muscles, bones, and joints, especially the spine. Your first visit to National
Spine & Wellness is dedicated to learning about the history of your pain and how
it impacts your daily life.

The information we gather during your initial assessment is used to create a 3-
step treatment plan.