Acupuncture
The Background to Acupuncture
Acupuncture originated in China over 2,000 years
ago and is one of the oldest and most commonly performed
types of medical procedure. The literal meaning of Acupuncture
is “needle piercing.” As the name suggests,
the procedure of acupuncture involves penetrating the skin
with solid, metallic needles that are very thin. Acupuncture
has grown in popularity in the United States since the
1970s and is now widely regarded as a safe and effective
treatment for a variety of conditions.
According to Chinese
medicine, the body transmits energy or qi (pronounced chee)
through pathways or meridians in the body. The unimpeded
flow of this energy, along with a balanced Yin and Yang,
account for a person's overall health. Acupuncture targets
more than 2,000 acupuncture points along these pathways
to ensure the proper flow of energy through the body.
According
to Western medicine, Acupuncture works by stimulating the
Central Nervous System to release chemicals into the muscles,
spinal cord and brain that can alter bio-chemicals in a
way that may relieve pain, stimulate healing and promote
physical and emotional health.
Both Eastern and Western
medicines agree that Acupuncture can help treat a wide
variety of illnesses by relieving pain and symptoms associated
with these illnesses. Acupuncture can help with conditions
as diverse as abdominal pain, diarrhoea, indigestion, anxiety,
menopause, infertility, chronic pain, arthritis, headaches,
Parkinson's Disease, bronchitis, smoking cessation, addiction
and high blood pressure just to name a few.
With proper
research and medical advice, Acupuncture may be the most
effective treatment for your condition. With acceptance
and popularity continuing to grow in the UK, Acupuncture
has become an easy and affordable solution to many common
health problems.
