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Most people have heard about acupuncture, but many people don’t know the benefits of the practice, how it can help, why it works, or the history of the procedure. Health Works has been specializing in acupuncture in Regina for years, and have had a lot of success. But, what is it? Why does being poked with tiny needles help? Let us at Health Works explain.
Acupuncture is a form of treatment that involves inserting very thin needles through a person’s skin at specific points of the body, to various depths. An acupuncturist will insert needles into a person’s body with the aim of balancing their energy. This, it is claimed, can boost wellbeing and cure some illnesses; the procedure will often be used to treat conditions such as headaches, blood pressure problems, and whooping cough, among others.
Traditional Chinese medicine explains that health is the result of a balance of the complementary extremes of yin and yang, of the life force known as qi. Illness is said to be the consequence of an imbalance of the forces. Qi is said to flow through meridians, or pathways, in the human body. These pathways and energy flows are accessible through 350 acupuncture points in the body. Acupuncture points are seen as places where nerves, muscles, and connective tissue can be stimulated, increasing the natural blood flow, while at the same time, triggering the activity of the body’s natural painkillers.
Research carried out in Germany shows that acupuncture may help relieve tension headaches and migraines. The NCCIH note that it has been proven to help in cases of lower back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis, knee pain, and headaches. In 2003, the World Health Organization listed a number of conditions in which they say acupuncture has been proved effective, including high and low blood pressure, chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting, some gastric conditions including peptic ulcer, painful periods, dysentery, allergic rhinitis, facial pain, morning sickness, and rheumatoid arthritis, to name a few. There are also cases that the WHO says acupuncture might help, but that need more research, such as fibromyalgia, neuralgia, spine pain, and vascular dementia, among others.
Acupuncture in Regina can be beneficial, as long as it is performed correctly, and can be combined effectively with other treatments. There are very few side effects of acupuncture, which can’t be said for a lot of more modern medicine, and can help patients for whom pain medications aren’t suitable. As long as the procedure is done correctly, it is safe.
If it is your first appointment, an acupuncturist will examine you and assess the condition, insert one or more thin, sterile needles, and offer advice on self care, or other complementary therapies, such as Chinese herbs. The patient will be asked to lie on their back, front, or one side, depending on where the needles are to be inserted. At Health Works, we use single use, disposable, sterile needles. As each needle is inserted, the patient may feel a very brief or tingling sensation. Acupuncture in Regina is usually relatively painless.
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