Having first originated as a form of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is growing to be increasingly popular in the Western hemisphere. This method of healing has been proven to relieve pain and reduce the severity of symptoms from numerous chronic diseases. As it comes with few side effects, acupuncture is a safe procedure for many people.
What Is Acupuncture?
The human body is believed to have meridians―invisible energy channels running throughout the body. Along these channels are more than 1,000 acupressure points that can be stimulated to balance the body’s energy levels. Qi, pronounced “chee,” is the life energy that courses through the body. When qi becomes unbalanced, disease and pain invade the body. Acupuncture inserts small, thin needles at various points along the body’s meridians, gently manipulating them with heat or electrical pulses to balance the energy within.
Depending on the severity of your pain or chronic condition, you may require several sessions before feeling the results. Each session typically lasts less than an hour and involves gently inserting hair-thin needles into your side, front, or back―depending on your specific needs. There is minimal discomfort associated with this procedure, even when heat and mild electrical pulses are used to bring your qi back into balance. A small number of people report a mild ache at the point of insertion, but because the needles are so small, most people do not feel them at all.
What Are the Benefits of Acupuncture?
In addition to balancing your life energy, acupuncture has been proven to help numerous health conditions. Scientists believe that the needles used during these treatments stimulate the nervous system in addition to balancing energy, leading to numerous acupuncture benefits.
While there are still many ongoing studies to determine how acupuncture can benefit various diseases, the treatment has been proven to relieve pain and symptoms from the following chronic conditions:
- Morning sickness
- Headaches and migraines
- Lower back pain
- Nausea and vomiting that is caused by chemotherapy
- Sciatica
- Neck pain
- Menstrual cramps
- Knee pain
- Osteoarthritis
What Are The Risks?
Acupuncture creates very few risks. When performed by a licensed practitioner using single-use, sterilized needles, acupuncture is a safe and effective procedure. The most significant risks lie with people who fall into the following categories:
- Pregnant women: Acupuncture has been proven to induce labor, which could result in a pre-term delivery for women who are not full term. Please look for a licensed acupuncturist to have the treatment done while you are pregnant. Acupuncture can help with the success of IVF, morning sickness, pregnancy related swollen legs, itchy skin.
- People with blood disorders: The insertion of the needles usually does not cause excess bleeding, but people who have blood disorders may experience a little blood loss, bruising, and discomfort.
- People with pacemakers: Because acupuncture often uses electrical impulses delivered through the needles to stimulate problem areas, the electric stimulation-acupuncture treatment is not recommended for people who use pacemakers. The electrical currents could damage the internal devices and cause them to stop functioning properly. Regular acupuncture treatments without e-stimulates would be recommended for patients who have pacemakers.
Whether you are suffering from pain, looking to relieve symptoms from a disease, or just wanting to relax by bringing your body’s energy into balance, acupuncture can be a powerful and effective treatment―when performed properly. If you live in the Houston area and believe acupuncture could benefit your health, contact Eastern Balance Oriental today! Our licensed practitioners can help you achieve the harmony your body needs to heal.
We offer acupuncture in Houston Heights, acupuncture in West Houston, and acupuncture near Katy TX.