Health Intuitive

San Diego CA  Acupuncture is a treatment based on Chinese medicine is a system of healing that dates back thousands of years. At the core of Chinese medicine is the notion that a type of life force, or energy, known as qi (pronounced “chee”) flows through energy pathways (meridians) in the body. Each meridian corresponds to one organ, or group of organs, that governs particular bodily functions. Achieving the proper flow of qi is thought to create health and wellness. Qi maintains the dynamic balance of yin and yang, which are complementary opposites. Based on Chinese medicine, everything in nature has both yin and yang. An imbalance of qi (too much, too little, or blocked flow) causes disease. To restore balance to the qi, an acupuncturist inserts needles at points along the meridians. These acupuncture points are places where the energy pathway is close to the surface of the skin.

The earliest recorded use of acupuncture dates from 200 BCE. Knowledge of acupuncture spread from China along Arab trade routes towards the West. However, up until the early 1970s, most Americans had never heard of acupuncture.

Acupuncture gained attention in the United States when President Nixon visited China in 1972. Traveling with Nixon was New York Times reporter James Reston, who received acupuncture in China after undergoing an emergency appendectomy. Reston was so impressed with the post-operative pain relief he experienced from the procedure that he wrote about acupuncture upon returning to the United States.

In 1997, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) formally recognized acupuncture as a mainstream medicine healing option with a statement documenting the procedure’s safety and efficacy for treating a range of health conditions. While awareness of acupuncture is growing, many conventional physicians are still unfamiliar with both the theory and practice of acupuncture.

There are now hundreds of clinical studies on the benefits of acupuncture now. Many of these clinical studies are performed in China. Acupuncture has successfully proven its positive effects in the treatment of conditions ranging from musculoskeletal problems (back pain, neck pain, and others), nausea, migraine headache, anxiety, and insomnia.

How Does Acupuncture Work

The effects of acupuncture are complex. How it works is not entirely clear. Research suggests that the needling process, and other techniques used in acupuncture, may produce a variety of effects in the body and the brain. One theory is that stimulated nerve fibers transmit signals to the spinal cord and brain, activating the body’s central nervous system. The spinal cord and brain then release hormones responsible for making us feel less pain while improving overall health. In fact, a study using images of the brain confirmed that acupuncture increases our pain threshold, which may explain why it produces long term pain relief. Acupuncture may also increase blood circulation and body temperature, affect white blood cell activity (responsible for our immune function), reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and regulate blood sugar levels.

As our lives have become more stressful and hectic, medical professionals have begun to see the effects of stress on our health. San Diego acupuncture follow an ancient approach to health care offers powerful protection against the damaging effects of stress. Stress is a leading cause of high blood pressure, which in turn is a leading cause of heart attack or stroke. But stress can be responsible for other disorders as well. Acupuncture helps support the proper functioning of your body as one unified system.

Most people have a “weak” point in their body that will react first when the person is under stress. For example, it may be that a person gets headaches when they are highly stressed, or perhaps they will experience digestive trouble in stressful situations.

Learning to manage stress can be an important tool to improving a person’s overall health and well being. Not only can stress reduction create a positive impact on physical health. It can also help you sleep, communicate better in relationships and even perform better in school or at your job.

Traditional techniques for stress management have included things such as visualization, relaxation and meditation exercises. But increasingly, people in Western society are beginning to recognize the value of the Chinese therapy of acupuncture.

Acupuncture is commonly used to control and treat chronic pain, but it is also increasingly being used to treat a number of both common and rare illnesses. Because acupuncture is based on the idea of creating and maintaining the natural, harmonious flow of life energy or ‘chi,’ it can also be used to combat stress and the problems that it causes.

The World Health Organization has recognized a list of disorders and ailments for which acupuncture can be helpful. The list includes headaches including migraines, paralysis that is due to a stroke and back pain such as sciatica or lower back pain issues.

The practice of acupuncture uses thin needles of different lengths that are inserted into particular points along channels that conduct the body’s energy. These energy streams are called meridians. Acupuncturists are knowledgeable with more than 350 acupoints that are used to clear any blockages along the meridians. They may also use a tiny electronic pulse to increase the stimulation to the tissues, or they may use herbal therapy as well.

Regular acupuncture treatments can help to restore the normal flow of chi throughout the body so that it is better equipped to withstand the pressures and stresses of daily life. If any particular areas of the body are weakened by stress, then acupuncture can be used to help strengthen those areas of the body or organ systems as well.

Needles are inserted to stimulate the blood flow to a certain area as well, bringing a fresh supply of oxygen to the tissues. It also helps to clear toxins from an area that has not been receiving its necessary energy flow. A trained, licensed acupuncturist may also recommend the use of particular herbs in order to supplement the acupuncture. Or, they may be able to teach you some self-applied acupressure techniques in order to help with stressful situations.

Acupuncture treatment is relaxing and refreshing. You will most likely find that treatment by a qualified acupuncture specialist will greatly assist your body cope with the potentially damaging effects of stress.