At the 2016 Summer Olympics, you might have seen athletes with purple circles on their skin from cupping. Or maybe you know someone who swears by acupuncture for her back pain or herbal teas for colds. More and more, people use practices like these from traditional acupuncture medicine to not only fight disease, but also prevent it.Acupuncture is an ancient system of health and wellness that’s been used in China for thousands of years. Western medicine focuses mainly on treating disease. But acupuncture looks at your entire well-being.
Is it safe to try and will it work?
With a little background on how it’s used, you can make more informed choices to improve your health.
What’s the Idea Behind acupuncture?
Western medicine tends to view the body a lot like a car. It has different systems that need the right inputs and outputs. It’s very concrete and logical.Acupuncture, on the other hand, doesn’t focus on science and medicine. Instead, it’s based on balance, harmony, and energy.
There are two central ideas behind acupuncture
Qi: This is also called life energy or vital energy. The belief is that it runs throughout your body. It’s always on the move and constantly changes. Acupuncture treatments often focus on ways to promote and maintain the flow of qi.Yin and Yang: These are opposites that describe the qualities of qi.Yin: night, dark, cold, feminine, negativeYang: day, light, warm, positive, male The belief is that everything in life has a little bit of its opposite, too, and balance is the key. For example, a drug from your doctor might heal disease. But it’s dangerous if you take too much of it.According to acupuncture, these ideas play out in our bodies. When you balance the yin and yang of Qi, you feel healthy and well. If they’re out of whack, you feel sick. Acupuncture aims to create harmony and a healthy flow of qi.
Several. They include:Acupuncture: very fine needles placed gently in the skin.Cupping: heated cups that create suction on your skin.Herbs: teas, powders, and capsules made mostly from plants.Meditation: a way to sit quietly and calm your mind.Moxibustion: dried herbs burned near the skin.Tai chi: exercise with slow movements and focus on the breath.
Is It Safe?
Experts believe it’s safe, if you go to someone who knows what he’s doing. This is especially true of acupuncture, tai chi, cupping, and moxibustion. Herbs can be a little trickier. That means there’s not as much research on them, and it can be hard to know exactly what’s in them. Plus, herbs can have side effects or impact other medicine you’re taking. Again, it’s important to go to someone who really understands her practice. And always check with your doctor first.
Does It Work?
acupuncture is an approach that covers a lot of ground, and results vary. The practices haven’t been studied in the same way as Western medicine. More research has been done on herbs and acupuncture than other treatments.
But studies show a lot of promise:
Acupuncture is commonly accepted as a treatment for a number of conditions, including pain relief and limiting side effects from chemotherapy.A number of herbs used in acupuncture are also used at well-respected, Western medicine clinics to treat anything from trouble sleeping to arthritis to menopause.Tai chi seems to improve balance in people with Parkinson’s disease.Cupping may help relieve pain from shingles.
Who Should Use It?
That’s a personal decision. People use acupuncture for anything from carpal tunnel syndrome to lowering stress. It may be a good choice if you:Have a lot of different symptoms with no clear cause.Need to treat side effects from drugs.Have tried Western medicine but didn’t get results.Want to prevent illness.
Who Should Avoid acupuncture?
In general, doctors suggest you don’t use it to totally replace Western medicine, especially if you have a serious condition disease. Pregnant or Breastfeeding mother.Treating a child.
But on the whole, research and interest in acupuncture is on the rise.
“There’s nothing magical about acupuncture,” “Many of these .”
And that's the main goal of acupuncture: self-healing.
“Our bodies can do it,” says ‘Bogar’Balaji, “We are not animals who are dependent on drugs.” If you’re deciding if acupuncture is right for you, it’s best to be open to its benefits and skeptical of claims it’s a magical cure-all. “It should be part of a comprehensive approach to solve problems,” ‘Bogar’Balaji says.
Chronic Pain
Acupuncture has long been recognized as an effective treatment for chronic pain. In 2012, a study found acupuncture was better than non acupuncture or simulated acupuncture for the treatment of four chronic pain conditions:·
Back and neck pain·
Osteoarthritis (your doctor may call it “degenerative joint disease” or “wear and tear arthritis)·
Chronic headache·
Shoulder pain
If You’re Considering Acupuncture. Acupuncture is safe if done correctly. If you get a diagnosis from a doctor, ask him if acupuncture might help.“Acupuncture has good evidence . Just because we can’t necessarily explain it down to the molecular level doesn’t mean we need to abandon it.”
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