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WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?
Simply put, acupuncture is a health science,
which is used to successfully treat both pain and dysfunction
in the body. Early Chinese physicians discovered there
is an energy network running just below the surface of
the skin that communicates from the exterior to the internal
organs and structures at over 1,000 “acupoints” on
the body. This energy works in harmony with the
body’s circulatory, nervous, muscular, digestive,
genitourinary and all other systems of the body.
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When this vital energy
becomes blocked or weakened, an effect in a body system
or anatomic location becomes evident, producing pain or
symptoms in the body. Stimulation of one or a combination
of key “acupoints” on
the body can restore energy balance to the affected area,
similar to resetting a circuit breaker after it has been
overloaded.
This is acupuncture’s goal-to restore
normalcy to the body’s energy balance by utilizing
a combination of acupoints located on the twelve meridians.
This is accomplished by a variety of means; the acupuncture
needle is just one. Other means include electronic stimulation,
laser beam, pressure massage or nutritionally using the Biomeridian stress
test*.
IS TREATMENT PAINFUL?
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One would assume inserting a needle into
the skin would be painful since most of us can relate
to being stuck with a pin or having a hypodermic injection.
However, four acupuncture needles can easily be inserted
into the hollow tube of a hypodermic needle. Because
of the extreme slenderness of the needle, most people
compare the sensation as “less than a mosquito
bite”, or they feel nothing at all. |
HOW MANY TREATMENTS ARE NECESSARY?
The number of treatments varies with different
conditions and individuals. Chronic problems generally
require more treatment than recent ones. Some patients
notice an immediate improvement after the first treatment,
while others may not notice any effect until the seventh
or eighth visit. A small number may notice a worsening
of symptoms, as the body’s energies are returning
to normal. This is not unusual and no need for alarm. Researchers
internationally agree the usual number of treatments is
between eight and sixteen, with a frequency of two to four
times per week.
WHAT CONDITIONS ARE ACCEPTED?
| Acupuncture texts list well over one hundred different
conditions that respond well to acupuncture. The World
Health Organization has indicated acupuncture is effective
in the following conditions: Acute and chronic pain
relief, migraine, tension cluster and sinus headaches,
trigeminal neuralgia, bladder dysfunction, bed wetting,
neck pain, mid-back pain, low back and leg pain, tennis
elbow, shoulder pain, post-surgical pain, asthma, allergies,
skin conditions, fatigue, anxiety, neurologic symptoms,
etc., etc. This is only a partial list of the conditions
acupuncture has helped. |
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ARE THE RESULTS PERMANENT?
For acute problems where there has been
little or no organ system or tissue damage, results are
often permanent. For chronic conditions, symptoms may recur
from time to time. Generally a few additional treatments
are sufficient to obtain relief. It’s suggested that
patients with severe or chronic conditions return for a
booster treatment two to three times a year.
*Biomeridian Stress
testing is available at this office, please ask for more
information about this unique approach to energy balancing
at the front desk.
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