Acupuncture and Effectiveness

While Relatively New to the West, People Have Sought Relief Through Acupuncture Since Ancient Times

The thought of having needles stuck in your body can be understandably less than desirable – and even downright scary, due to the perceived pain you anticipate having to endure. However, this pain-relieving modality has been in practice for thousands of years with good to amazing results. In fact, for some, it’s the only medical treatment that’s effective in managing their pain.

There’S Nothing to Fear Except Fear Itself!

Surprisingly, there’s very little, if any, pain during acupuncture treatments, and for some, it’s a very relaxing procedure. After needles are placed in specific areas of the body to treat particular medical issues, the patient is left to rest while the nerve channels are being stimulated. Lying quietly and breathing slowly can be a welcome respite from a hectic life, and in addition to feeling less pain, patients can also feel physically renewed afterwards.

So is Acupuncture Effective?

Clinical studies on the effectiveness of acupuncture are, for the most part, inconclusive and are continually taking place. However, a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind study undertaken by three well-regarded medical institutions (a major hospital in Massachusetts, a chiropractic college in Missouri, and a Korean university), found that following acupuncture treatments, patients had increased connections among the parts of their brain involved in the perception and memory of pain. While some medical professionals believe that pain relieved by acupuncture is simply a placebo effect, in this particular study, in which subjects were given both “sham” acupuncture and “true”
acupuncture, they reported stronger pain relief from the real thing. The outcome of the study determined that acupuncture alters the resting state activity of the brain, which is likely why people experience relief and/or other therapeutic improvements.

Don’T Take Our Word For it! Ask Your Friends and Family.

Despite medical studies that imply acupuncture is probably just a placebo effect and has little to offer in the way of long-term pain relief, there are many, many people who swear by it and have never found a better way to lessen or eliminate their discomfort. There may be certain medical issues that respond better to acupuncture than others, but if you talk to friends or family members who have undergone this type of treatment, you might be surprised by the number of success stories you’ll hear. If you have pain that you’ve attempted to relieve through many different types of treatment but to no avail, perhaps it’s time to try acupuncture!