A Closer Look into Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a complementary treatment from ancient Chinese Medicine that doctors use to treat various acute and chronic health conditions. Doctors use it to relieve symptoms of numerous mental and physical health issues. The therapy involves your doctor inserting needles in the affected to help relieve pain and improve overall organ function. Chinese medicine refers to the energy that flows through your body as qi, and the providers believe it creates imbalances in your body, causing illness. New City acupuncture rebalances qi and releases natural chemicals like endorphins that control nerve impulses, relieving your symptoms. You can use acupuncture along with other treatments for effective results.

Which conditions can acupuncture treat?

Doctors mainly use acupuncture to treat muscle pain, low back pain, osteoarthritis, neck pain, knee pain, and headaches. Acupuncture can also treat migraine, peripheral neuropathy, nausea, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, fatigue, and tendinopathy.

What should you expect during an acupuncture treatment?

Depending on your condition, your specialist can recommend you sit or lie down during the treatment. The specialist will insert one or more thin, sterile needles into the skin of the affected region. You may feel mild stinging or tingling while your provider inserts the needles. You can also experience a dull ache at the base of the needles. The needles used in acupuncture are very thin, hence less discomfort.

The needles will stay in place for about twenty to sixty minutes, depending on your doctor’s acupuncture procedure. Sometimes, your doctor will heat needles after insertion. The number of acupuncture treatments you need depends on your health issue. If you have a chronic problem, your specialist may recommend one to two treatments weekly over several months. In most patients, acute cases improve within eight to twelve treatment sessions.

What happens after acupuncture treatment?

Since acupuncture is a minimally invasive procedure, you can drive home after treatment. Your doctor may recommend you rest for about ten minutes after treatment to regain your usual strength and mobility. The provider may also suggest you rest for a day or two after treatment.

What are the benefits of acupuncture?

Acupuncture can address numerous acute and chronic conditions, including migraines, back pain, and osteoarthritis. It is a minimally-invasive producer, so there are low chances of side effects and complications. Doctors can use acupuncture along with other conventional treatments.

Which are the side effects and complications of acupuncture?

After acupuncture treatment, you may experience bleeding, bruising, and soreness at the insertion sites. These side effects usually subside within a few days. Unsterilized needles may cause infections. In rare situations, a needle can break and damage an internal organ. To avoid complications, seek treatment from a trained and experienced specialist.

Is acupuncture safe?

The U.S Food and Drug Administration proves acupuncture to be a safe treatment. The agency needs the needles used during treatment to be steel, solid, sterile, nontoxic, and correctly labeled. Only qualified professionals should use these needles.

Acupuncture is a complementary treatment from ancient Chinese Medicine that treats various health issues. It involves your doctor inserting thin needles in the affected areas to relieve numerous conditions, including knee pain, migraines, osteoarthritis, or muscle pain. Schedule an appointment at Integrative Health of Rockland for acupuncture treatment to relieve your chronic pain.