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Abdominal Acupuncture for the Treatment of Pain
Chronic pain isn’t just a nuisance; it can be debilitating for many people, affecting their ability to work, their relationships, and severely impacting their quality of life.
For those dealing with pain, any solution is worth exploring. When modern medicine fails, they often find themselves scouring the internet, searching for an answer to make it go away.
Unfortunately, there is no magic pill that can simply eliminate pain, but there are alternative solutions for those who haven’t had success with doctors and medication.
Acupuncture has been practiced in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years, and it has become increasingly common in Western cultures.
TCM believes that the mind and body are irreversibly interconnected; thoughts and emotions of the mind will impart a physical response in the body. The focus of acupuncture is in restoring the balance between opposing the forces of yin and yang and restoring harmony within the body.
Using thin, sterile needles, an acupuncturist targets acupoints along twelve meridians. These meridians comprise over 2,000 points and can be compared to the circulatory system of the body’s energy. By stimulating specific target points, acupuncture helps the body clear energy blockages and improve energy flow.
Discovered in 1972 by Prof. Bo and formally accepted into Traditional Chinses Medicine in 1992, abdominal acupuncture is an extension of traditional acupuncture. It is generally used by patients experiencing pain but has also been shown effective in treating stomach pain, fibromyalgia, obesity, and weight loss.
Abdominal acupuncture follows the same principles as traditional acupuncture but targets different acupoints. Abdominal acupuncture can be less painful than conventional acupuncture for some patients. There is less needling sensation, and the needles themselves are inserted very shallowly.
Acupuncture is used to treat numerous conditions; however, it is most often associated with pain relief. Multiple studies and thousands of practices support acupuncture as a treatment for chronic pain conditions such as back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis, and knee pain. It has also been shown to have some effectiveness in treating headaches and preventing migraines.
When acupuncture needles are inserted into target acupoints, the brain is triggered to release natural pain-killing endorphins. Some acupuncturists may combine heat, electrical stimulation or manipulate the needles to enhance these effects.
For some patients, the pain-relieving benefits of acupuncture can be felt immediately following their first session. However, multiple sessions are generally required to feel the full effects.
The benefits of acupuncture are not limited to pain relief; it is also widely used to treat other conditions.
Studies have shown that acupuncture can help to reduce inflammation significantly. Acupuncture stimulates the body’s pituitary gland to release cortisol, a natural anti-inflammatory, and triggers the vagus nerve to activate the body’s systematic inflammatory response.
There has been some supporting evidence to show that acupuncture may be helpful as a treatment option for certain digestive issues, including lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome. Targeted acupoints could help support the body in overcoming digestive disorders and reduce stomach and intestinal inflammation.
Acupuncture not only treats physical pain but can also be used to treat several sleep and mood disorders. The practice of acupuncture attempts to address mind-body imbalances, which according to TCM, are the root cause of conditions like insomnia and stress. Acupuncture treatments promote calmness and wellbeing and allow patients more restful sleep.
Another consequence of mind-body imbalances and blocked energy channels, according to TCM, is an increased propensity for illness and poor health. Acupuncture can help stimulate the production of T cells, which in turn increase the white blood cell count and can boost your body’s ability to fight off infection.
To learn more about the benefits of abdominal acupuncture or to book an appointment, click here to contact Nordel Physiotheraphy & Sports Clinic.