School: aaaom.edu

Thursday, September 18, 2014

How Acupuncture Can Cure Common Health Problems



How Acupuncture Can Cure Common Health Problems
Acupuncture is an ancient medical practice. According to the acupuncture principle, if energy flow is interrupted or blocked, it results in illness and pain. Acupuncture re-establishes this flow by tapping as many as 20 thin onto a person's body at strategic points. This activates changes that promote healing, reduce symptoms and pain by stimulating specific nerves and muscles, and thus offers several health benefits. According to research, acupuncture can effectively treat a whole host of ailments ranging from sciatica and back pain to asthma, headaches and nausea. Here is how acupuncture can cure common health problems.

Dulls persistent headaches
When you get a headache, you probably reach for a painkiller like Crocin. If you have a severe migraine, you might not get relief with a mere over-the-counter painkiller or Paracetamol. That is when you can turn to acupuncture. Several theories suggest that the most common kind of headaches aren't caused by muscles alone, but certain neurochemicals such as serotonin and nitric oxide, which are related to emotional well-being and mood. The acupuncture needles send signals to the brain to adjust the levels of these neurochemicals, thereby alleviating pain.

Boosts the effectiveness of medication
Acupuncture is also found to boost the effectiveness of allopathic medication. A study from China, which was published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, revealed that a when acupuncture was combined with low doses of fluoxetine (Prozac), it was just as effective at reducing anxiety in patients suffering from depression than a full dose of medication was. The side effects of the drugs such as weight gain, nausea, and decreased sex drive, were also lowered when the dose was cut and acupuncture was added.

Counteracts side effects of radiation
Cancer patients who are undergoing radiation therapy most likely suffer from a wide variety of side effects. This is particularly true with side effects like dry mouth and nausea, which are commonly found in patients who receive radiation therapy to their neck and head. Studies published in a journal of the American Cancer Society revealed that people who underwent radiation treatment perceived fewer negative side effects even though these side effects were still present. Acupuncture can negate these side effects.

Soothes gastrointestinal problems
According to a study conducted on pregnant women by Brazilian researchers, acupuncture therapy was said to relieve the indigestion and heartburn they faced during pregnancy. A group of pregnant women were counseled on dietary changes and given medications if needed while the other group was given a combination of medications and acupuncture. It was found that 44% of women in the standard-treatment group saw antacid use and heartburn intensity decline against a whopping 75% of women in the acupuncture group.

Acupuncture is especially useful for upper gastrointestinal problems proved a 2007 study conducted by the University of Arizona. People who suffered from chronic heartburn, who prescription antacids had no effect on, started going for acupuncture twice a week. The symptoms of these people were said to have improved far more than those who took a double dose of antacids. Their heartburn dropped by 83%, chest pain decreased by 82% and acid reflux fell by 77%. According to researchers, acupuncture led to a sharp decline in stomach acid. It also sped up digestion, causing less acid backs up into the esophagus. It was also found that acupuncture reduced pain perception in the esophagus.

Sports injuries
Acupuncture relieves many injured athletes; it helps them recover from injuries faster. A theory suggests that the healing process speeds up because the human body may be responding to the needles by further increasing the flow of oxygenated blood to the injured area in question. While it is important for any injured person to see their doctor first, acupuncture may be a great choice if they have been advised no other treatment apart from rest. It can help effectively manage discomfort and pain, and can be used to treat a wide range of sports-related injuries such as muscle soreness, tendinitis, ankle sprains and tennis elbow.

Anxiety and depression
Acupuncture is known to have many positive effects. Patients who have received acupuncture treatments claim to feel much more relaxed and equipped to deal with the pressures of life. This is because when the acupuncture needle enters a person's feet, hands or earlobes, certain chemicals and neuro-transmitters are released that positively effect mood and stress.

Back pain
One of the most common ailments that persuade people to try acupuncture is back pain. Acupuncture is known to work on back pain much better than any pill can in the long run. There are some practitioners who are also known to run electric current through the needles which travel deeper into the muscles.

A point of caution: Make sure that the acupuncture specialist you are visiting is a licensed or a medical acupuncturist, who is highly recommended by a health care practitioner that you trust.

 Spurce of this article is here.


No comments:

Post a Comment