Acupuncture: A benefit to the well Individual?
Before we begin a discussion about the benefits of acupuncture,
let's talk about the origins of acupuncture. It was first used
in China over 2000 years ago, and is one of the oldest medical
procedures in the world. It is a family of procedures that
stimulates the anatomy of the body and helps to balance the
energy flow throughout the body. It is this kind of acupuncture
that is practiced in the United Sates today, through the use of
tiny, metallic needles placed in affected areas and manipulated
by hand or by electrical stimulation. Acupuncture is the basic
foundation for Traditional Chinese Medicine and is based on the
belief that there are two opposing and inseparable forces within
our body. They are known as the Yin and Yang of the entire
person. The Yin is representative of the cold, slow, or passive
principle, and yang represents the hot, excited or active
principle. A healthy state is achieved by maintaining a balance
state of the yin and yang. This is done through vital pathways
or meridians that allow for the flow of qi, or vital energy. The
vital energy flow occurs along pathways known as meridians.
These meridians connect over 2,000 acupuncture points along the
body. There are 12 main meridians, and 8 secondary meridians.
Although traditional western medicine does not completely
understand how acupuncture works, the proof that it does work
has been shown in several studies conducted by western medical
facilities. Now, let's move to the question of does it work?
According to the National Institute of Health, the answer would
be yes. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in many areas
of health care. Areas such as postoperative nausea, chemotherapy
side effects, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, headache, menstrual
cramps, addiction, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma, just to
name a few. The study revealed that acupuncture was able to
provide pain relief, improve function and mobility of joints due
to arthritis inflammation, and served to complement standard
care. Although there are many who would doubt the effectiveness
of acupuncture, once they are a patient, they are believers. It
has been proposed that acupuncture works and produces its
effects through regulating the nervous system. The theory
proposes that since acupuncture produces its effect through
regulation of the nervous system, it induces the release of
endorphins and immune system cells at specific sites on the
body. There is also the theory that acupuncture alters the brain
chemistry by the changing the neurotransmitters in the brain.
Without doubt acupuncture was a benefit in the study, and as a
patient myself, I can vouch for the wonderful effect it has had
on my back. Although acupuncture is classified as an alternative
medicine therapy, and there is still much to be understood about
the way it works, it is a proven aid in maintaining optimal
health. But what about the well individual, can acupuncture
provide a benefit to them? Absolutely. Because acupuncture works
off the belief that we must maintain balance of our vital energy
flow in order to remain healthy, acupuncture serves as the tool
for realignment. Our vital energy flow can be out of balance,
and we still feel and appear quite healthy. It is in this
capacity that acupuncture serves as a sort of preventive
medicine. Checking and balancing the flow of energy on the
meridian points in your body is like your car receiving a
tune-up before it is in need of a repair. get more health and
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