It's not just for pain

It has been proven that Acupuncture can work wonders for back pain, headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, leg pain, and pretty much any other kind of pain you can think of. However, pain is just one of many ailments for which Acupuncture can provide relief.

 

Mood

Anxiety, depression, moodiness, grief are all conditions that can be treated with Acupuncture & Chinese herbal medicine. Acupuncture has been shown to enhance the production and secretion of the “happy” neurotransmitters serotonin and endorphins.  Acupuncture increases levels of these neurotransmitters, which can help to lift your mood and put a smile back on your face.

 

Acid reflux/Heartburn

Research has shown a course of 10 regular Acupuncture treatments to be successful in addressing the main mechanism of acid reflux, known as transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation (TLERs).  In other words Acupuncture can prevent the sphincter from relaxing, so that prevents stomach contents (stomach acids) from travelling out of your stomach and up into your esophagus.

 

High cholesterol levels

Researchers have discovered Electro – Acupuncture on the Stomach and Large Intestine Acupuncture points, located on the lower legs and forearms, can lower levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides in cases of high cholesterol.  Researchers have also concluded that Acupuncture on selected lower leg Stomach Acupuncture points prevents and reverses the formation of foam cells. Foam cells form at the site of fatty streaks (yellow – white lesions inside arteries) and are the beginning of atherosclerotic plaque formation in blood vessels, which can lead to high blood pressure, stroke and heart attack.

 

Hot flashes/night sweats

A combination of Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine has been shown to relieve hot flashes and/or night sweats by regulating imbalances in female sex hormone (estrogen & follicle stimulating hormone) levels and body temperature.

 

I.B.S (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)

Selectively placed needles can have a positive effect on the digestive system as a whole. This is good news for I.B.S sufferers who can have digestive symptoms of abdominal pain and bloating, constipation, diarrhea or a combination of the two.  Acupuncture can provide relief by regulating the rate of intestinal movement – known as peristalsis, increasing intestinal movement for constipation and decreasing intestinal movement for diarrhea.

 

Spinal Disc Herniation

A study conducted in Jiang Bing Hospital in China found a combination of Acupuncture with massage to be more effective in treating lumbar (low back) disc herniation than co-enzyme B12 injections combined with physiotherapy.  The Acupuncture/massage group achieved an overall success rate of 96.7% and the injection therapy/physiotherapy group had an 80.0% success rate.

 

Regenerates nerves

Acupuncture repairs injured nerves. Findings published in Neural Regeneration Research showed that Acupuncture treatments encouraged injured lower and upper limb motor nerves to repair. Nerve conduction tests of Acupuncture patients with nerve injuries documented “an effective response” in 80% of patients that participated in the study.

 

What this means

When the body is overcome by a certain condition (physiological, muscular, neurological, etc.) Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine simply offer support in the form of: neurotransmitters and natural pain killer production and release, hormone and organ regulation, muscle tension release, and nervous system regulation, all things that the body needs to help it overcome the condition in a natural and side effect free manner.

It is excellent that Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have proven to be effective forms of therapy for so many aliments and diseases, however the best medicine is still prevention.

A healthy lifestyle that incorporates a balanced whole food diet, exercise (that you enjoy), adequate rest, life purpose and goals, social activity and Acupuncture treatments to help maintain health and address issues as they arise and before they can become a chronic problem.

 

If you have any questions about Acupuncture or would like to book consultation please contact my office at (250) 860 – 2212 or visit my website www.kelownaacupunctureclinic.com

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.