Acupuncture

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• QIs acupuncture safe?

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  A St Francis Medical Center answered

  The safety of acupuncture is very good. The worst thing that can happen with acupuncture is nothing. There are very few side effects. Some people could get a bruise or be achy after the visit, and that might last a day or so. Typically, people have good side effects. They may be coming in for knee pain but they notice that they are more relaxed overall, they’re sleeping better, their energy might be a little bit better because the acupuncturist is addressing the whole body and not just the main complaint.

  Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider.

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• QWhat is acupuncture?

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  A NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital answered

  Acupuncture is a medical practice that has been used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illness for more than 2,000 years and is one of the oldest, most commonly used medical practices in the world. Acupuncture involves use of fine, hair-like needles that are placed in specific anatomic points along well-defined meridians, which are pathways in the body that are related to organs, the muscular system, and the nervous system. In eastern medicine, pain or illness is thought to result from an imbalance in the flow of energy (or qi) in these meridians because of poor diet, trauma, genetic conditions, emotional issues, stress, medications, or environmental factors. Acupuncture is used to rebalance this flow of energy and help stimulate the body's ability to heal itself. It is commonly used for a variety of conditions ranging from allergies to infertility to headaches.

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• QWhat should I expect during my first visit to an acupuncturist?

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  A St Francis Medical Center answered

  During your first visit to an acupuncturist you will go through a health history form, a lot like the health history you go through when you have a new doctor. Through the health history the acupuncturist can learn about your condition. After that, the acupuncturist may do the following:

  • look at your tongue
  • take your pulse
  • palpate areas of your body that are painful, tender or swollen
  • come up with a diagnosis

  The acupuncturist follows a specific treatment protocol. Acupuncture needles are placed, about 10 or 20 needles in an area for somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes. They can be all over the body. It's very relaxing, like you're going to a spa. Afterwards, included in an acupuncture visit could be something like massage or cupping or other kinds of manual techniques that lend themselves to what the acupuncturist is doing.

  Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider.

• QHow often should I get acupuncture?

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  A St Francis Medical Center answered

  How often a person receives cupping and acupuncture treatments depends on the condition. If people have a new injury, they just did a little too much yard work over the weekend and their back is stiff and uncomfortable, that might be just one visit. People who were high-school and college athletes and then continued to train at a high level may have a lot more pain and structural issues like herniated discs or torn rotator cuffs. These people will need more acupuncture and cupping visits. They may get treatments weekly or every other week for a longer period of time.

  Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider.

• QWhat does acupuncture help treat?

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  A The Medical Center of Aurora answered

  Acupuncture can be used to treat a variety of conditions, including PMS and infertility.

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• QCan acupuncture be used to treat depression?

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  A RealAge answered

  Acupuncture is a type of therapy that involves inserting needles into acupoints along the body's meridians. Electro-acupuncture uses needles that are electrically stimulated. Needle insertion is thought to increase levels of endorphins (hormones that block pain and promote general feelings of well-being) in the body and may stimulate the release of serotonin and catecholamines. Several clinical trials suggest that the effectiveness of electro-acupuncture in treating depression may be similar to that of amitriptyline (a tricyclic antidepressant). Additionally, electro-acupuncture may be associated with fewer side effects than is antidepressant medication.

• QHow do I prepare for acupuncture treatment?

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  A Dr. Daniel Hsu, DAOM , Alternative & Complementary Medicine, answered

  I recommend wearing loose, comfortable clothing to receive acupuncture treatment. You should be aware that the acupuncturist may need to access points on your torso, arms and legs. It also helps to be in a calm state. Try to arrive 5 or 10 minutes before your appointment to give yourself a chance to relax. Try to avoid the following:

  - Eating a big meal within one hour of your appointment
  
  - Fasting for more than six hours before your appointment
  
  - Alcohol, tobacco, food or drinks that color your tongue (such as coffee) immediately prior to treatment or just following a treatment
  
  - Vigorous exercise or sexual activity within the hour before treatment
• QHow does acupuncture work?

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  A Dr. Daniel Hsu, DAOM , Alternative & Complementary Medicine, answered

  Acupuncture achieves the desired results by stimulating specific points near or on the surface of the skin - acupuncture points - that have the ability to alter biochemical and physiological conditions in the body.
  
  Because acupuncture points are designated areas of electrical sensitivity, inserting needles at these points stimulates sensory receptors. This in turn stimulates nerves that transmit impulses to the hypothalamic-pituitary system in the brain. The hypothalamus-pituitary glands are responsible for releasing neurotransmitters and endorphins, the body's natural pain-killing hormones (thought to be some 200 times more potent than morphine).
  
  Endorphins play a significant role in the hormonal system, which is why acupuncture is effective in treating back pain, arthritis, PMS and infertility. The substances released as a result of acupuncture relax the body, and also regulate serotonin in the brain, which affects emotional states. Other physiological effects include increased circulation, decreased inflammation, relief of muscle spasms and increased T-cell count, which supports the immune system.

  
  Western science posits that acupuncture triggers three primary mechanisms in the body:

  1. Activation of opioid systems: Research has found that several types of pain-reducing opioids may be released into the central nervous system during acupuncture.
  
  2. Changes in brain chemistry: Studies have shown that acupuncture may alter brain chemistry by altering the way in which neurotransmitters and neurohormones are released. Acupuncture has also been documented to affect sensation and involuntary body functions, such as immune reactions and processes involved in regulating blood pressure, blood flow and body temperature. Modulation of subcortical structures of the brain may be an important mechanism by which acupuncture exerts its complex multisystem effects.
  
  3. Changes in blood flow: Acupuncture and Oriental medicine affects the circulation of blood to the affected area, which helps to remove pain-causing chemicals and restore normal function.

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• QDoes acupuncture work better than a placebo?

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  A Greenville Health System answered

  “Acupuncture has been around for a very long time and used by practitioners around the world,” said David Shallcross, M.D. “The National Institutes for Health lists 40 or more conditions for which acupuncture seems to offer a better benefit than placebo.”
  
  It’s estimated that U.S. adults made more than 17 million visits to acupuncture practitioners in 2007, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That number has more than tripled since 1997. As Americans warm to alternative medicine, many are choosing to try acupuncture for various ailments.
  
  Acupuncture dates back at least 3,000 years as a form of treatment and arises from the Chinese concept of Qi, or vital energy, which flows through the body in 14 main channels. According to traditional Chinese medicine, pain and sickness can be traced to blockages of these channels, which prevent the natural flow of Qi. Acupuncturists such as Zhang use observation and analysis of patient history to direct them to the appropriate points -- there are a total of 361 -- along those channels, where they use needles to dissipate the blockages and allow the flow of Qi to resume.
  The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Nor does the contents of this website constitute the establishment of a physician patient or therapeutic relationship. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.