complementary medicine

Before we begin a discussion about the benefits of acupuncture
let’s talk about the origins of acupuncture. It was first used in China over 2000 years ago
and is one of the oldest medical procedures in the world. It is a family of procedures that stimulates the anatomy of the body and helps to balance the energy flow throughout the body. It is this kind of acupuncture that is practiced in the United Sates today
through the use of tiny
metallic needles placed in affected areas and manipulated by hand or by electrical stimulation.
Acupuncture is the basic foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine and is based on the belief that there are two opposing and inseparable forces within our body. They are known as the Yin and Yang of the entire person. The Yin is representative of the cold
slow
or passive principle
and yang represents the hot
excited or active principle. A healthy state is achieved by maintaining a balance state of the yin and yang. This is done through vital pathways or meridians that allow for the flow of qi
or vital energy. The vital energy flow occurs along pathways known as meridians. These meridians connect over 2
0
acupuncture points along the body. There are 12 main meridians
and 8 secondary meridians. Although traditional western medicine does not completely understand how acupuncture works
the proof that it does work has been shown in several studies conducted by western medical facilities.
Now
let’s move to the question of does it work? According to the National Institute of Health
the answer would be yes. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in many areas of health care. Areas such as postoperative nausea
chemotherapy side effects
osteoarthritis
low-back pain
headache
menstrual cramps
addiction
carpal tunnel syndrome
and asthma
just to name a few. The study revealed that acupuncture was able to provide pain relief
improve function and mobility of joints due to arthritis inflammation
and served to complement standard care.
Although there are many who would doubt the effectiveness of acupuncture
once they are a patient
they are believers. It has been proposed that acupuncture works and produces its effects through regulating the nervous system. The theory proposes that since acupuncture produces its effect through regulation of the nervous system
it induces the release of endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites on the body. There is also the theory that acupuncture alters the brain chemistry by the changing the neurotransmitters in the brain.
Without doubt acupuncture was a benefit in the study
and as a patient myself
I can vouch for the wonderful effect it has had on my back. Although acupuncture is classified as an alternative medicine therapy
and there is still much to be understood about the way it works
it is a proven aid in maintaining optimal health.
But what about the well individual
can acupuncture provide a benefit to them? Absolutely. Because acupuncture works off the belief that we must maintain balance of our vital energy flow in order to remain healthy
acupuncture serves as the tool for realignment. Our vital energy flow can be out of balance
and we still feel and appear quite healthy. It is in this capacity that acupuncture serves as a sort of preventive medicine. Checking and balancing the flow of energy on the meridian points in your body is like your car receiving a tune-up before it is in need of a repair. get more health and fitness articles at http://www.anabolic.ca and http://www.takingsteroids.com