What is it?
If you have never heard of it before, acupuncture is a part of traditional medicine in China, Japan and other Eastern cultures. It is an ancient art and medicine that is used very safely towards treating a plethora of conditions, ailments and imbalances.
In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture assists in regulating the flow of Qi (pronounced “chee”), or flow of energy, throughout the body and tissues. Channels are an energetic concept that is very much associated with the nervous system.
Acupuncture uses very thin needles at specific points on the body, called meridian points, to help influence these channels in the body. These needles are sterile, single-use and disposed of after use, and are 1/10th of the thickness of a vaccination needle!
The insertion of needles on the surface of the skin, not usually felt as anything more than a tiny mosquito bite, encourages the release of endorphins and the balancing of other hormones to assist in pain relief, increasing function and circulation, relieving inflammation.
They also improve mood, energy and sleep. Better yet, it is almost entirely void of adverse effects.
What’s it for?
The list of ailments and imbalances that can be assisted and ameliorated using acupuncture are almost endless. This is in part because its mechanism of action involves influencing hormones, neuro and immunological chemicals, inflammatory markers and so on.
Personally, I receive acupuncture often for stress and sleep management, assisting in the signalling of my nervous system, digestion, menstrual pain and much more! I believe that I would not be in the wonderful state of health that I am today if not for the help from my beautiful acupuncturist, and other practitioners that have cared for me.
Getting it covered
More good news- depending on where you live, many insurance plans will cover acupuncture sessions. If not, request it! Place pressure on insurance companies to include more coverage for “alternative” or “holistic” treatments and services. Typically, schools that offer acupuncture programs will hold free or low-cost acupuncture clinics, whether private or in group “community” settings.
Otherwise, search for centres that offer what is called community or chair acupuncture- these are sessions done in lounge chairs in a quiet but non-private setting, to be able to cut down on the service fee for you.
No therapeutic modality and service can suit the needs of everyone. However, acupuncture is certainly worth giving a try – after all, it has helped people for thousands of years!
Your verdict
So tell me, what do you think about acupuncture?
If you haven’t already tried it, do you want to? Why or why not?
What else would you like to learn about acupuncture?
P.S.
This article was originally written and published on my other website, Arbor Holistic Coaching. The article may have been revised and edited to better suit readers at Planting Spoons (aka you lovely ladies!). You can see the original article here: https://www.arborholistic.com/writing/whatisacupuncture
