Thinking about trying Acupuncture? Pt.1

The expert in sports injury and performance.

So, you’re thinking about trying Acupuncture. Your friends are telling you how amazing it is, but you still have a lot of questions: What does Acupuncture feel like?  What are the benefits of Acupuncture?  Needles are not one of my favorite things- will the Acupuncture needles hurt? How many Acupuncture treatments will I need?  

If you’ve been musing over these questions, you’re not alone. These are some of the most common questions I get in my private practice on a daily basis. This article aims to answer those questions and more, because no matter how many of your friends have encouraged you to try it, it’s important for you to be able to make an informed decision about your health, and the type of treatment you’re seeking. If you’ve been waffling back and forth over whether you should take the leap to try Acupuncture, read on, and find out for yourself.  

What types of conditions can benefit from Acupuncture?

First of all, Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at the entire individual to identify a pattern, rather than focusing on one specific symptom.  For example, low back pain is a common complaint which responds very well to Acupuncture.  But the pattern the individual is experiencing may also include high stress, restless sleep, and low energy, and Acupuncture looks at the big picture to identify a common cause, and correct the imbalance at the source.  The focus of the treatment will be kept on back pain relief, but other benefits often include lower stress levels, improved quality of sleep, and a an improved energy level.

Acupuncture looks for a pattern that explains all your symptoms, and addresses the cause on a systemic level.  That being said, there are certainly specific conditions that have been proven to respond very well to Acupuncture.  Acupuncture is most famous for many types of pain relief (headaches, low back pain, neck pain, fybromyalgia, etc) but it also works very well for balancing your digestive system, it helps with mental and emotional imbalances (such as anxiety and depression), and can help balance hormones for issues such as PMS.

 Check back for part 2 where Gabrielle answers more of your questions about acupuncture!

 

The expert in sports injury and performance.