If you are a novice to holistic healing, then acupuncture must be a terrifying treatment for you. And to your surprise, it is not painful as it has been studied and practiced for more than 2500 years. In terms of acupuncture devotees, it is a cure-all, but let’s take a closer look to find whether it is or not?

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a primeval Chinese medicine-based technique to treat diverse conditions by triggering particular points on the skin by dint of needles.

Philosophy behind Acupuncture

The Chinese philosophy behind this prickly treatment is a bit complicated.  As the primeval practices were not purely based on medicine and science. Therefore, they believed, “An imperceptible life-giving force is spirited within a human body, which they called qi. When the energy of qi flows well and goes to the right places, then the person will experience good physical and mental health. And, in case, if the force of qi does not flow well/get blocked, then the person will experience poor physical and mental health.” Thus, the main aim of acupuncture is to help people in attaining balance, qi, and ultimately provide relief for diverse ailments.

Functioning of Acupuncture

There exist numerous conditions for which acupuncture is used. I jotted down a list of a few.

The list includes:

• Osteoarthritis
• Allergies
• Strokes
• Depression and anxiety
• Sprains
• Chronic pain
• Migraines
• Hypertension
• Menstrual cramps
• Insomnia

Not only this but according to a few studies this prickly treatment can also be used to cure multiple sclerosis and cancer.

Risks of Acupuncture

If you are having a certified, competent acupuncture practitioner that uses sterile needles, then the risk is very low.

The common side-effects of acupuncture occur where the needles are inserted into the skin. The side effects include bruising, mild bleeding, or soreness. Furthermore, in the standards of practice, single-use and disposable needles are used, which in return reduces the rate of infection. Not only this, but also not every single individual is capable of acupuncture. Persons who are more vulnerable to risk are:

Person Suffering from Bleeding Disorder

In case, if you are suffering from a bleeding disorder or taking blood thinners then, your chances of bruising and bleeding from the needle increase.

Person Having Pacemaker

Acupuncture techniques that involve the application of mild electrical impulses to the needles will automatically interfere with the pacemaker’s operation.

Pregnant Women

Some acupuncture techniques excite the labor, which in return results in the premature delivery of a baby.

Beware of quacks; Find a Licensed Acupuncturist

In the first round, ask your friends/family/or social circle about a well-experienced acupuncturist. Ask them for a personal referral/introduction.

Make sure that you pay a visit to a licensed acupuncturist. As keep it in mind, a licensed acupuncturist needs to pass the NCCAOM examination. Or he needs to complete the program of NCCAOM in the foundations of biomedicine, oriental medicine, and acupuncture. However, in some states, the certification requirements differ to some extent.

Cost of an Acupuncturist

The cost of an acupuncturist session depends on your state, town, and whether he/she considers your insurance or not.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, the merits of this prickling technique are difficult to measure, but most people find it helpful in controlling diverse painful conditions.