For thousands of years acupuncture has been a therapeutic practice that has been used as a way to alleviate pain throughout the body. Based on the teachings of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture works by treating acupuncture points on certain parts of the body where energy vessels known as meridians run underneath. These meridians are the conduits in which life force flows throughout the body. Slender needles are inserted into some of these points to alleviate headaches, relieve pain and treat a variety of health conditions. So far, Western medicine has not been able to explain why and how acupuncture works, but that does not matter for hundreds of millions of people all over the world who regularly receive acupuncture treatment to treat their illnesses or make them function well in their everyday lives. This one-of-a-kind treatment has been used in China and parts of East Asia for thousands of years. Today, it is one of the most popular forms of alternative holistic medicine in the world because it is a safe and effective form of treatment.
Acupuncture is a 5000 year old treatment that has a very long history of proven effectiveness, regardless of the fact that scientific tests have yet to determine the treatment’s efficacy. Hard-core pro-Western medical advocates consider this treatment as a controversial one or worse, as merely a type of placebo treatment. They argue that none of acupuncture’s touted benefits have been unable to be scientifically proven. However, to belie this argument, the World Health Organization (WHO) several years ago has listed the number of health conditions acupuncture can effectively treat; furthermore and to the detriment of its critics, there have been countless anecdotal evidence throughout the years that prove acupuncture actually and truly works in treating the conditions the WHO claims it can treat.
The fact that acupuncture truly works in treating various types of illnesses for hundreds of millions of people makes the scientific proof of it moot and irrelevant. Throughout the centuries, acupuncture has helped countless numbers of people cope with severe stress. This treatment became very popular in the United States when the New York Times published a report by James Reston in the 1970s, relating an appendectomy he had undergone in China that used as acupuncture as a kind of painkiller for his postsurgical pain. His story inspired the creation of the first national organization that that focused focusing on acupuncture in the US (the National Acupuncture Association).
How Does Acupuncture Work?
The reaction to stress is merely a set of physiological effects within the body that happen when a physically or mentally stressful event occurs. During these times, a series of chemicals are released by the body into the bloodstream that set into motion a complex sequence of events that include an increased muscle tension, elevated blood high pressure, a faster breathing rate, and an increased heartbeat. Stress reaction is also called a flight or fight response or an adrenaline rush. All of a sudden during this time, our bodies are endowed with enhanced alertness, energy, and strength in order to cope with whatever stressful situation we face, and so long as this response last for a short period of time, the body is does not suffer any harmful consequences; however, if the stress is becomes chronic or out of proportion, this normally healthy response can become pathological and can lead to the rise of certain health problems. Longstanding alertness caused by stress, for example can result in fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, or mental strain, while long term increased heat rate can result in palpations, and increased breathing rates can cause panic attacks. Enhanced muscle tone as a result of prolonged stress can result in tremors, pain, and muscular tension.
Sadly, the advancement of technology in the 21st century has not translated to an easier way of life for people in advanced Western nations such as the United States. In fact, most people living in this society are almost always in a constant state of stress, more so in these times of incredible government ineptness and societal and economic collape. People living under a constant cycle of stress can eventually deplete the natural energy reserves of their body. When a person is overloaded with stress, symptoms may set in. The person may suffer from psychological symptoms such as lack of self-esteem, poor concentration levels, lessened cognitive function, memory loss, anxiety, and depression as well as physical symptoms such as gastric disorders, sleeping disorders, skin conditions, backaches, and headaches. Long=term stress can result in chronic term health problems such as a high risk of cardiovascular diseases, heart attacks, high blood pressure, and strokes. Therefore the need to lower the levels of stress is of paramount importance. The lessening or elimination of stress in one’s life, and a heightened sense of well-being are some of the requirements to a long, happy, and healthy life.
Some important benefits of acupuncture include its ability to relax muscle tension and relieve other stress-related symptoms. One need not know what Qi is in order to benefit from this treatment. Whether or not scientific research can prove it, acupuncture has been proven to relax the body, calm the mind, and lower the blood pressure, and heart rate of a stress-wracked person. It can help relieve feelings of depression and anxiety by stimulating certain groups of muscles in the body, which causes the release of neurochemicals and neurotransmitters in the body that work to eliminate stress and its related symptoms.
Acupuncture is definitely one of the best treatments for stress you can receive. It is the safest and most effective treatment I have tried so far.
Asian Health Center
27059 Chardon Rd
Cleveland, OH 44143-1113
(440) 833-0983