Acupuncture can treat a variety of ailments and can be a beneficial way of improving your overall health. Have you tried several different doctors looking for help? Working with an acupuncturist may be a way of obtaining relief. A number of people approach acupuncture in a skeptical fashion. Does it really work? The answer to this is YES! By obtaining acupuncture therapy, you may get help on the road to recovery.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture was developed over 2,500 years ago, and remains one of the oldest forms of healing throughout the world. The benefit to acupuncture is the ability for treatments to promote self-healing within the body without the use of traditional western medicines. For many, acupuncture is used in combination with other types of medical care. Acupuncturists will work closely with your medical doctor to help influence your treatment. Acupuncture can be used to treat a number of problems, such as:
- Women’s Health: Gynecological issues, infertility, painful periods, and pregnancy
- Musculoskeletal: back pain, neck pain, hip pain, and sports injuries
- Gastrointestinal: IBS, constipation, colitis, diarrhea, abdominal pain and gastritis
- Respiratory: hay fever, colds, asthma, cough and sinusitis
- Cardiovascular: high and low blood pressure
- Neurological: headaches, migraines, and shingles
- Psychological Disorders: depression, anxiety, PTSD and addiction
What You Can Expect?
Your treatments will take place in an office space that has been set up to help you feel at home. The session will start with an overview of acupuncture. We will spend time discussing your ailments and developing a treatment plan together. You can expect that we will ask you a number of questions as we get to know you. As our relationship continues to develop, we will continue to check in prior to each treatment. This allows for an acupuncturist to determine the best treatment strategy before each session. They may choose to place needles in different spots depending on the information you share with the acupuncturist that day. We will create an environment for you to relax in. We will always begin by taking your pulse and looking at your tongue. This may seem odd, but is one of the first steps before treatment is administered. In Chinese medicine, doing both of these things will help provide us with information. It is believed that the tongue can tell us key information in regards to how the body is functioning. Following treatment, we may recommend specific herbs or supplements to aid in healing.
Will the Needles Hurt?
The needles are usually the source of a first time patient’s worries. The reality is that the needles used during treatment are as fine as a piece of hair. Most people are surprised by how painless acupuncture really is. Some people have reported feeling tingling or achy feelings, while others can experience numbness. A number of patients may even fall asleep during their treatment.
There are a number of reasons to access Chinese medicine as an alternative treatment to health concerns you may be experiencing. An acupuncturist Chicago IL recommends can answer your questions and help outline acupuncture and what you can expect from your first appointment.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from WholeHealth Chicago for their insight into acupuncture.