Acupuncture 101

The history of acupuncture dates from approximately 6,000 BCE when sharpened stones and long, sharp bones were used instead of the fine needles used today. Practitioners of this ancient medical practice with origins in China believe that the manipulation and channelling of energy flowing within your body — called qi  and pronounced “chee” — can affect your health.

The practice of acupuncture focuses on twelve pathways through which your energy (or qi) flows through your body. Those pathways are called meridians and can be accessed and influenced from 350 different points in your body — locations where nerves, muscles and connective tissues in your body can be stimulated to increase blood flow and natural painkillers. Meridian energy pathways correlate to our body’s major organs and biological functions, but don’t necessarily align with other anatomical structures such as our nerves, bones or blood vessels.

Practitioners of acupuncture therapy in SW Calgary believe that many illnesses are a consequence of imbalances in the body’s energy. The placement of acupuncture needles in strategic locations along the energy meridians and amongst the acupuncture points in your body are said to be able to restore balance to your body’s energy and, by doing so, reduce the prevalence and symptoms of pain, illness and disease.

The effectiveness of acupuncture performed at an acupuncture clinic near you has not been conclusively proven, scientifically. Having said that, many studies around the world have identified many reported benefits associated with a wide range of medical conditions. The World Health Organization has, for example, reported that acupuncture can affect patients’ experience of the following conditions:

According to the World Health Organization, acupuncture...
… has been proven effective in relation to the following	… may help patients experiencing the following conditions, though further evidence is required
High and low blood pressure Nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy Peptic ulcers Painful periods and morning sickness Inducing labour Dysentery Allergic rhinitis Facial pain Rheumatoid arthritis Sprains, tennis elbow and sciatica Dental pain Reducing patients’ risks of suffering a stroke	Fibromyalgia and neuralgia Recovery from medical operations Substance, tobacco and alcohol dependency Spinal pain Stiff neck muscles Dementia Whooping cough Tourette Syndrome

At the outset of treatment with acupuncture Calgary SW, an acupuncturist will ask you a series of questions to try to understand your symptoms and concerns and will conduct a physical examination.

Once the acupuncturist has developed an understanding of your concerns and goals for treatment, you’ll be asked to lie down on your back, front or onto your side depending on the location of the acupuncture points to be used. One or more thin, sterile and single-use needles will be inserted into acupuncture points along the energy pathways (meridians) associated with your symptoms or condition. Acupuncture treatment itself is not painful, though patients sometimes report a slight stinging or tingling sensation when the needles are inserted into their skin.

The depth of the needles’ penetration varies depending on the condition being treated and the acupuncture point being targeted. Typically, acupuncture points are located near the surface of your skin, such that needles only need to be inserted between a fraction of an inch to one inch in depth.

There are a wide variety of styles of acupuncture treatment, and your acupuncturist will describe the benefits of each treatment modality — options that may include heated needles or electrical stimulation of those needles. The acupuncture needles are typically left in place for between five and thirty minutes. Acupuncture treatment sessions frequently occur in a series of one or two treatments weekly over a several-month period depending on the condition being treated and the progress of your symptoms.

Whether acupuncture is an appropriate complementary medical treatment for you and your needs is something to discuss with your doctor, and the staff at a chiropractor clinic in SW Calgary an acupuncturist near you. You may be among the many millions of people who find significant relief from this ancient and traditional practice.