TAPPING INTO YOUR BODY'S POTENTIAL
Acupuncture
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture practice involves the stimulation of areas of the body called ‘acupoints’ with fine sterile needles, or by using cupping, heat, fascial manipulation or gentle electrical stimulation. By activating specific acupoints we can regulate the body to elicit healing or optimise health.
Acupuncture is one of the five branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), along with herbal medicine, massage, exercise and diet therapy. This form of natural medicine has been used in various forms for thousands of years.
There is strong evidence to support the effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment of many conditions. Reviews have shown consistent statistically significant positive effects and authors have recommended acupuncture treatment. As research continues, acupuncture is being found to be effective for a growing number of conditions.
Modern science has so far found acupuncture to be an effective treatment for:
Low Back Pain
Headaches & Migranes
Knee Osteoarthritis
Post-Operative Pain
Allergic Rhinitis (Hay Fever)
Chemotherapy Induced Nausea
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How does it work?
Our bodies show multiple biological responses to stimulation from acupuncture.
It can trigger vasodilation via the nervous and circulatory systems and can therefore reduce inflammation and strengthen cellular function by stimulating oxygen rich, nutrient dense blood to move through the vessels. These responses can occur locally or far from the site of stimulation, mediated through the sensory neurons. Other mechanisms involve activating the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, affecting neuroendocrine function and the secretion of neurotransmitters and neurohormones.
Before modern researchers studied acupuncture, TCM understood the effect using different terminology. TCM literature has long described how that the stimulation of the acupoints balances the movement of blood and energy (qi) in the body, which helps in restoration and maintenance of health. Interruptions in the flow of energy were understood to be responsible for the occurrence of different disease conditions.
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What shall I expect?
At your initial appointment we ask that you complete a comprehensive patient information form which will be reviewed, and your immediate health concerns discussed.
An acupuncturist will also look at your tongue and feel your radial pulse, in order to assess your overall state of health. After reviewing all of your signs and symptoms, a recommended treatment strategy will be discussed with you, which may also include herbal medicine or supplements. Then it will be time to lay back and relax and enjoy the treatment that acupuncture has to offer. Acupuncture often leads to a deeply relaxed state as the body rests.
At Blackwood Village Health, all of our practitioners take a holistic approach to patient treatment and acupuncture is certainly no exception to this. Acupuncture may assist with symptom reduction, but it also looks to treat the underlying cause of a condition and works to improve your health for longer lasting relief. Through linking the mind, body and emotions it can also be effective in the treatment of chronic and acute ailments, in preventing disease and in the maintenance of general wellbeing.