Posts Tagged ‘acupuncture’

Acupuncture Treatment

Thursday, November 6th, 2008

Acupuncture treatments are and have been an important part of healing in many cultures and have been for hundreds of years. Acupuncture therapy can provide treatment for multiple conditions. Acupuncture treatment can be used to address a variety of pains, ailments, illnesses, and medical conditions as well as support your overall well being. The Chinese are credited with first developing acupuncture treatment about 2000 years ago.

Some skeptics may look at acupuncture treatment as a bit controversial. However, it has been used effectively for over 2000 years. The idea behind acupuncture treatment is quite basic. The treatment is based completely on the belief that there are certain areas of the body, called meridians, which are responsible for controlling the balance of the body’s total energy. When someone is suffering from an illness or an ailment it is thought to be caused by a blockage of  these vital energies. Acupuncture treatment is thought to somehow unblock these meridians or channels that have become blocked causing the unbalance or ailment, restoring balance to the body and personal well being.

These blocked channels or meridians are essentially unblocked and released by the treatment received during the course of an acupuncture treatment session. An acupuncture therapy session includes a series of thin needles being inserted into specific areas that are believed to create the ailment or difficulty by becoming blocked. These needles are said to be virtually painless and at some points begin to feel like a massage. It is believed that by strategically inserting these thread-like needles into specific points of the body, the nervous system is somehow stimulated to release toxic chemicals from various places in the body in order to help promote healing.

Modern doctors believe that acupuncture treatment stimulates the body’s natural ability to heal. It is being used more frequently to promote both physical and mental well being. Acupuncture treatments have evolved greatly in recent times to include a variety of new methods and techniques other than the traditional standard use of needles. Alternative forms of acupuncture treatment now make use of particular herbs, as well as electricity and electrical currents. There are also multiple other forms of acupuncture including those that now use lasers and magnets to stimulate the body in the same way that needles have traditionally been used.

Acupuncture therapy is a great form of healing and balancing the body’s energy to promote mental clarity and physical well being. It should be considered by those looking for an alternative to medication and prescription drugs that sometimes only mask the symptoms.  It is more widely available now than ever before and has been  recognized as a viable form of treatment by many in the medical community.

Treatment for Back Pain

Monday, November 3rd, 2008

Back pain affects about 80% of all Americans at some time in their lives.Back pain comes in many forms, including lower back pain, middle back pain, or upper back pain and low back pain with sciatica. Most commonly, back pain is caused by either nerve or muscular problems, degenerative disc disease, or varying forms of arthritis. Many use over the counter pain medication or prescription pain killers relieve symptoms of back pain.

There are many forms of treatment available for back pain including chiropractic therapy, acupuncture, physical therapy, nerve blocks, and even surgery.  All are viable forms of treatment, but determining which works best for you is the key.

There are many schools of thought regarding pain management and pain medication.  Some believe medications only mask the underlying problem.  Some medications have other more dangerous side effects, including but not limited to addiction.  For chronic back pain it may be best to seek a more permanent approach to dealing with the pain. Medications may be best left to handling pain due to an injury, during the healing and recovery process.

There is much debate over chiropractic treatment and some of its controversial techniques. Chiropractic adjustments have been reported to provide much relief to those suffering from back pain.  There is certainly much to be considered, but being in alignment seems to make sense for relieving back pain.

Acupuncture is an amazing form of treatment.  Like chiropractic, there is some debate over its safety and effectiveness, but studies show it to be quite effective. There are many different forms of acupuncture using different techniques and depths of the needle placement. The location of your pain and the type of injury will in most cases determine the type of treatment you will need.

For more some patients their doctors recommend that they consider a nerve block.  There are many forms of nerve block procedures.  The right procedure is determined again by the location of your pain.  In some cases a nerve block is used to actually locate the source of the pain.  This is usually provided as a last resort to back surgery.

Physical therapy is a great way to treat back pain due to an injury.  Physical therapy can include strength training, electrothermal therapy, massage, stretching, hydro-therapy and multiple other types of pain relieving therapy.  Most people find relief first from physical therapy, then move on to other more controversial forms of treatment.

Back pain is no laughing matter.  There are many people battling some form of back pain every day.  Listed above are just a few of the many available forms of treatment available to these who are suffering..