Whether you’re looking for pain relief, relaxation or other benefits, acupuncture may be just what you need to enhance your personal health and wellness. Rooted in traditional Chinese medicine practices, the popularity of acupuncture has skyrocketed in the last few decades. More and more, people are turning to complementary treatments like acupuncture to supplement their conventional medications, doctor’s visits and other medical care. But, despite this growth in popularity, a question still remains: What can acupuncture do? In this article, we’ll break down some of the many benefits of acupuncture.
What is acupuncture?
According to traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture balances the flow of energy known as chi, or qi, which is believed to flow through specific meridians, or pathways, in the body. Disruptions in the balance of chi are said to be responsible for health issues. Inserting very fine needles into points along certain meridians is believed to re-balance your energy flow, improving your overall health. In many parts of the world, acupuncture is considered a first line of treatment before Western medicine is considered.
The 2,000-year-old practice of acupuncture first came to the medical forefront in the United States in 1971, when a reporter who had recently visited China wrote a piece in The New York Times about how Chinese doctors helped treat his pain from back surgery using needles. In 1997, the FDA classified acupuncture needles as medical devices, bringing modern standards to this ancient practice. In the years since, researchers all over the world have worked to uncover the benefits and mechanisms of acupuncture.
How does acupuncture work?
Despite decades of research, researchers still don’t have a full grasp on how acupuncture works, and new theories are always emerging. The most common Western viewpoint considers acupuncture points as places to stimulate muscles, nerves and connective tissue. It is believed that this stimulation boosts the body’s release of endorphins, which are naturally pain-relieving chemicals. Acupuncture may also influence the autonomic nervous system to release chemicals that calm the brain while regulating blood pressure and reducing inflammation.
Acupuncture is used to relieve pain and discomfort associated with a wide range of health conditions, including:
- Chronic pain
- Migraines and headaches
- Cancer treatment side effects
- Respiratory disorders
- Stress and anxiety
- And more
Acupuncture for chronic pain
Acupuncture is thought to ease pain by stimulating neurotransmitters, hormone levels and the immune system. Results from a number of studies suggest that acupuncture may help ease many types of chronic pain, including:
- Lower back pain
- Neck pain
- Osteoarthritis pain
- Knee pain
- Sciatica
- Many other neurological and muscle disorders
A 2016 study found some evidence that stimulating the vagus nerve, the longest of the twelve cranial nerves, through acupuncture may lower inflammation. Inflammation is closely linked as a cause of chronic pain. A pool of 29 studies involving nearly 18,000 participants found that acupuncture relieved pain by about 50 percent.
Acupuncture for migraines and headaches
The American Migraine Foundation states that a course of at least six acupuncture treatments can be a valuable options for individuals who have migraines. This is based on a systematic review of 22 clinical trials which showed evidence that acupuncture reduced the frequency of headache days in those with migraines. For 59 percent of individuals in the trials, the frequency of headaches dropped by 50 percent or more.
Acupuncture for respiratory disorders
Acupuncture may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of treatments for respiratory problems such as allergies, asthma, the flu and the common cold, but many people find effective relief with it. Acupuncture is believed to stimulate blood flow. Increased blood flow to the lungs helps dilate airways, support the immune system and help the lungs transport more oxygen into the bloodstream.
One study in Japan sought to determine the effect of acupuncture on COPD, a progressive lung disease commonly caused by smoking. Over twelve weeks, half of the adults in the study received acupuncture, along with their regular medication, while the other half did not receive acupuncture. After the twelve-week period, the participants were given walking tests and monitored for evidence of breathing trouble. Researchers found that those who received acupuncture were less breathless than those who didn’t.
Acupuncture for cancer treatment side effects
Chemotherapy cancer treatment can cause side effects such as nausea, fatigue, neuropathy and stomach upset, and other forms of cancer treatment, such as immunotherapy and hormone therapy, carry additional side effects. Multiple studies have shown that acupuncture can serve as effective relief for these side effects. In fact, studies conducted and reviewed by the experts at Memorial-Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center indicate that breast cancer patients treated with acupuncture experienced significant decreases in hot flashes and other quality-of-life symptoms, while leukemia patients receiving chemotherapy noted a decrease in chemotherapy-induced nausea.
If you’re interested in acupuncture for cancer treatment side effects, it’s especially important to ensure that your acupuncturist follows strict clean-needle procedures. Since many cancer treatments weaken the body’s immune system, you’re at a greater risk of opportunistic infections.
Acupuncture for stress and anxiety
In our fast-paced, high-stress society, it’s no surprise that many turn to acupuncture and other alternative treatments for relief. While researchers are still unsure exactly how acupuncture helps anxiety, stress and associated symptoms, many do believe acupuncture to have an overall calming effect. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America notes that evidence for the use of acupuncture to treat anxiety and other emotional disorders is “becoming stronger”. A study from the University of York concluded that acupuncture, along with counseling, lowered the depression scale of participants from an average of 16 out of 27 prior to the study to as low as 9 at the end of the study.
Acupuncture for other conditions
New research is always emerging about the effectiveness of acupuncture on a variety of medical conditions, as well as on general health and wellness. For example, a 2017 study found that acupuncture could potentially treat people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD), and there is a growing body of research that acupuncture can be used to a wide variety of other conditions, including:
- Urinary, menstrual and reproductive problems
- Digestive disorders such as gastritis, colitis, constipation and diarrhea
- Emotional disorders
The World Health Organization, a global authority for health and health care around the world, published a review of clinical trials that recognized the effectiveness of acupuncture for conditions, such as:
- Pain in dentistry
- Facial pain
- Neurological disorders, including stroke recovery
- Nervous system disorders, such as Bell’s palsy
- Morning sickness
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Induction of labor
- Sleep disorders
- Postoperative pain
While these results are promising, more research is needed to truly evaluate acupuncture’s effectiveness in these scenarios. But, since acupuncture has few side effects, many doctors encourage their patients to try it for themselves alongside conventional medical care.
Is acupuncture right for you?
While acupuncture is a safe and effective option for many people, it’s not right for everyone. If you have a bleeding disorder, or are on blood thinners, your chance of bleeding or bruising from acupuncture needles increases. People with pacemakers are advised not to get acupuncture that involves applying mild electrical pulses to the needles, as this can interfere with the pacemaker.
Sun Health Wellness acupuncture services
Our team of licensed professionals will work with you to identify and treat your pain points to improve your overall health. The best part is, there’s no membership required to take advantage of our acupuncture services. Services may even be covered by insurance plans, but, in the event that they’re not, we offer them at low out-of-pocket costs to the community. Explore our acupuncture services to learn more about how this ancient practice can help promote your personal health and wellness goals.
