Q: What problems can be treated by Acupuncture?
A: The World Health Organization has said that acupuncture is suitable for treating the following:
Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders-
Toothaches, pain after tooth extraction, earaches, sinus inflammation, nasal inflammation or dryness.
Respiratory Disorders-
Uncomplicated bronchial asthma in children or adults.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Digestive tract problems, hiccups, inflammation of the stomach, chonic duodenal ulcers, inflamation of the colon, constipation, diarrhea, dysentery caused by certain bacteria.
Eye Disorders
Inflammation of the conjunctiva, inflammation of the central retina, nearsightedness (in children), and uncomplicated cataracts.
Nervous System and Muscular Disorders
Headaches, migraines, certain facial paralysis or nerve pain, partial weakness after a stroke, inflammation of nerve endings, bed wetting, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, sciatica, lower back pain and ostearthritis.
Acupuncture has been used for centuries in China to beat many other problems, such as knee pain, sprains and strains, and most gynecological complaints.Top
Q: How deep do the needles go?
A: The depends upon the nature of the problem, the location of the points selected, the patient’s size, age, constitution, and upon the acupuncturist’s style.
Q: Does it hurt?
A: If your practitioner has obtained the correct stimulus of the needle, the patient should feel some cramping, heaviness, distension, tingling, or an electric sensation around the needle or traveling up or down the infected meridian, or energy pathway. In Chinese, acupuncture is bu tong, painless. Some Western cultures may categorize these sensations as types of pain. In any case, if you experience any discomfort it is usually mild.
Q: Are the needles clean?
A: The best practice among acupuncturists in America today is to use sterilized, individually wrapped, disposable needles. Needles should not be saved and reused for later treatments. This eliminates the possibility of transmitting a communicable disease by a contaminated needle.
Q: How does acupuncture work?
A: Modern Western medicine cannot explain how acupuncture works. Traditional acupuncture is based on ancient Chinese theories of the flow of Qi (Energy) and Xue (Blood) through distinct meridians or pathways that cover the body somewhat like the nerves and blood vessels do. According to ancient theory, acupuncture allows Qi to flow to areas where it is deficient and away from areas where it is excess. In this way, acupuncture regulates and restores the harmonious energetic balance of the body. In Chinese there is a saying, “There is no pain if there is free flow; if there is pain, there is no free flow.”