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The Health Benefits of Acupuncture

Acupuncture, a form of ancient Chinese medicine, is needle therapy that involves inserting extremely slim needles into specific points on a person's body in order to relieve physical, emotional and mental sources of pain.

Often used for both wellness and pain management, acupuncture is currently used to treat a wide array of medical conditions, including:

• anxiety
• asthma 
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• depression
• fibromyalgia
• headaches
• lower back pain
• menstrual cramps
• nausea
• osteoarthritis
• urinary disorders.

The theory behind acupuncture is that it opens up blocked "Qi" points, or meridian points. When these meridian points are blocked, the flow of healthy Qi throughout the body is interrupted, creating pain, stress and imbalance.

When you receive acupuncture, your practitioner will determine the points at which your meridian points are blocked by asking you about your physical symptoms, as an M.D. would. He or she will then talk to you about your recent emotional and mental states, a more unconventional series of questions. After this triage of your case, the practitioner will insert the necessary number of needles in the points of blocked Qi all over your body. Depending on your needs, she or he may also slightly move the needles to further stimulate the flow of Qi.

Once all of the needles have been put in place, the practitioner will let you lie and rest for about ten minutes. After the resting period, the practitioner will remove the needles, ending the session.

While those new to acupuncture tend to fear it because it uses needles, these needles are extremely thin: They usually are small enough to fit inside of the hypodermic needles that doctors use to administer vaccines or other shots. As a result, acupuncture is a painless procedure.

Is Acupuncture Effective?
The World Health Organization has recognized the effectiveness of acupuncture for a number of medical conditions. While many Eastern cultures use acupuncture as a primary form of treatment, U.S health officials think that more studies about the benefits of acupuncture should be conducted. However, these officials, as well as those who practice medicine, do agree that acupuncture can be effective when coupled with traditional treatments.

What Is Cosmetic Acupuncture?
Cosmetic acupuncture is a non-invasive alternative to conventional cosmetic surgery. Using acupuncture to prevent the signs of aging is not a new idea. In fact, during the Sun dynasty, the Chinese empress and the royal concubines used cosmetic acupuncture to maintain their youthful appearance. Today, some celebrities, including Cher and Madonna, have opted for cosmetic acupuncture. It can be effective in:

• activating collagen production 
• delivering youthful radiance
• eliminating fine lines and reducing deep wrinkles
• improving the balance of hormones that affect your skin 
• increasing moisture and elasticity of skin
• increasing muscle tone 
• removing the traditional signs of aging
• smoothing away under-eye bags and lifting droopy eyelids
• taking as many as five to fifteen years off your face
• tightening pores 
• treating sun damage of the underlying skin that causes signs of aging.

Cosmetic acupuncture follows the philosophy that inner health will result in outer beauty. By releasing points of bottled up Qi, cosmetic acupuncture promotes the skin's production of hormones and new cell generation that contribute to younger-looking skin. It is considered to be an effective alternative to cosmetic surgery. Most clients that try it are very satisfied after just a few acupuncture treatments. If you are considering cosmetic acupuncture treatment, consult a licensed acupuncturist.

Acupuncture as a Treatment for Depression
Acupuncture is becoming a popular portion of a comprehensive treatment for depression that also includes prescription medications.

Several recent studies indicate that acupuncture addresses many of the underlying physical aspects of depression. Depression is marked by a deficiency of the serotonin hormone. Because acupuncture is known to stimulate hormone production, it serves as a natural way to fight low serotonin levels.

Over time, many people have found that having regular acupuncture treatments can help them steadily decrease their depression medications. However, keep in mind that you should talk to your doctor before you change your dosage. The person's primary physician should supervise any acupuncture treatments and work with the acupuncturist to get the best possible results for the patient.

The Side Effects of Acupuncture
Acupuncture's side effects are relatively minor. Because acupuncture uses needles, there are some risks associated with it. The minor side effects of acupuncture include:

• bruising
• dizziness by those who have an aversion to needles
• infection (However, infection is extremely rare due to most countries' health requirements for disposable acupuncture needles.) 
• minor bleeding.

While there are some serious side effects that can occur from acupuncture, these tend to be rare, as most acupuncturists are well trained in their field. Some of the more serious complications include stroke, brain damage, kidney damage or nerve injuries.

Overall, acupuncture is a safe treatment option that has proven effective for a number of medical conditions throughout the centuries.