Acupucture

Acupuncture is an ancient therapy. It has been used in many Eastern cultures for more than 3,000 years to improve and maintain health. Despite its long history, acupuncture has only recently begun to be offered as a complement or alternative to Western medicine. The most common misconception about this practice is that a person must either be sick or in physical pain in order to experience the benefits of an acupuncture treatment. The truth is, acupuncture does more than simply treat symptoms — it is also a preventative process, used to maintain a balance of body, mind and spirit before a malady surfaces. An acupuncturist’s job is to pay attention to the body’s “warning lights”– eye twitches, thinning hair, restless sleep, frequent colds, and headaches. While some of these concerns may appear to small to go to the doctor, an acupuncturist addresses those signs as one of the multiple ways in which our bodies “speak” to us, inviting us to address smaller concerns before they become big problems.

How Acupuncture Works

Acupuncture seeks to release the flow of the body's vital energy or "chi" by stimulating points along 14 energy pathways. Scientists say the needles cause the body to release endorphins -- natural painkillers -- and may boost blood flow and change brain activity. Skeptics say acupuncture works only because people believe it will, an effect called the placebo effect.

Does Acupuncture Hurt?

Acupuncture needles are very thin, and most people feel no pain or very little pain when they are inserted. They often say they feel energized or relaxed after the treatment. However, the needles can cause temporary soreness.

Low-Back Pain

If standard treatments don't relieve your chronic low-back pain, acupuncture may do the job, and two respected medical groups suggest that people in this situation give it a try. One large study found that both actual and "sham" acupuncture worked better than conventional treatments for back pain that had lasted more than three months. The jury's still out on acupuncture for short-term (acute) pain in the low back.