Integrative Medicine and the Benefits of Acupuncture
Have you experienced the benefits of acupuncture? Currently, there are approximately 20,000 licensed acupuncturists working in the United States, and over 3,000 physicians that have integrated acupuncture into their practices. Integrative medicine, which includes traditional western as well as eastern healing modalities, is becoming more prevalent.
If you’re not familiar with acupuncture, then you may be interested to know that it can be used to treat these and other issues:
- Acupuncture for emotional healing
- Acupuncture for pain relief
- Acupuncture for pregnancy success
You may also be interested to know how acupuncture works. Basically, there are 14 meridians, or energy channels, within the human body. These energy channels can become stagnate or blocked as a result of various internal and external conditions.
During an acupuncture session, an acupuncturist will use thin, disposable, sterilized needles in order to direct the body’s natural energy, or Qi. When the body’s natural energy is able to flow freely, it facilities the healing process, provides pain relief, and other benefits.
The Archive of Internal Medicine conducted a recent study on the effects of acupuncture to reduce pain. It was found that pain, particularly chronic back pain, could be reduced up to 15% with acupuncture treatments.
While the causes of chronic back pain vary, it can be caused by these and other situations:
- Former injuries that didn’t heal properly
- Physical stress
- Muscle tightness
- Poor sleeping habits
- Pregnancy
Furthermore, acupuncture is now being recommended for drug treatment services. Approximately 40% of United States’ drug courts are now including acupuncture within their programs.
In addition to drug treatment and pain management, acupuncture has also been used to assist women with fertility issues. There are approximately 7.4 million women that have received some type of infertility service. It is estimated that one-in-eight couples experience issues associated with the inability to conceive or sustain a pregnancy.
There are acupuncture points for fertility that can increase a woman’s chances of giving birth. Conception acupuncture, or acupuncture points for fertility, may be an effective solution for many couples that are attempting to conceive. It’s important to note that acupuncture points for fertility are just one of the services that an acupuncturist can provide.
It’s important to note that Congress introduced bill HR 1890 on May, 1999. The purpose of this bill was to cover acupuncture services under both Medicare and the Federal Health Benefits Plan. This makes acupuncture more accessible and assists with more people learning about its health benefits.
If you haven’t received an acupuncture treatment yet, and are experiencing any of the issues mentioned above, you may want to contact a local acupuncture clinic. Once you discover the benefits of acupuncture, including how it complements traditional western medicine, you will be able to learn more about how it can improve your mental, as well as physical, health.
Read more.
