As more people learn of acupuncture, the interest in using it for treatment and relief has grown quickly. It has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years, and has become more familiar in Western medicine toward the middle part of the last century.

Acupuncture is simply the practice of gently inserting fine needles into specific points on the body for the purpose of relieving tension, stress and pain. Each point into which a needle is inserted is related to specific nerve endings and the energy flow of the body. It is believed that when these areas are gently stimulated by the touch of a needle, healing can take place. Due to the fine gauge needles used, there is usually no discomfort during the process. Other than back, neck and joint pain relief, acupuncture has been used in the treatment of asthma, allergies, infertility, chronic fatigue syndrome, digestion problems, hypertension, and the relief of chemotherapy-induced nausea.

With the practice of acupuncture on the rise in the United States, research and conventional medicine recognize the benefits! According to an article in the June ‘98 issue of The Physician and Sports Medicine, “Interest in alternative or complementary medicine ‘especially chiropractic’ is booming… active patients are running to unconventional providers to treat their aches and pains… from chiropractors and acupuncture to magnets and meditation.” In 1997, acupuncture needles were reclassified from “experimental” to “medical device” by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The National Institutes of Health released a statement that same year endorsing acupuncture for the treatment of a variety of conditions such as post-operative pain, tennis elbow, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Talk to your chiropractor today to see if acupuncture should be part of your care plan.

Article Source: Chirotopix.com