If you are struggling with chronic pain or recurring health problems, you may be wondering whether acupuncture treatments from Vitality Health & Wellness would be a good fit for your health needs. Acupuncture an increasingly popular pain management technique and alternative to traditional medication and surgery. Below, our wellness center answers five of your most frequently asked questions about acupuncture:
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a contemporary pain management technique based on Ancient Chinese medicine. Traditionally, the Ancient Chinese believed that imbalances in the body’s energy levels (known as the ‘qi’) were responsible for pain and illness. The Ancient Chinese used long, thin needles to remove blockages and restore balance to the qi. Today, contemporary scientific research has shown that the Chinese concept of “qi” is very similar to our contemporary understanding of the central nervous system. Stimulating the central nervous system as specific pressure points produces physiological and neurological changes in the body that increase circulation and increase an individual’s pain threshold.
What conditions does acupuncture treat?
Acupuncture may be beneficial for a number of different health conditions, including pain management and injury rehabilitation. Following evidence-based care principles, our acupuncturist will stimulate specific pressure points to correspond with our patient’s specific health complaint. We have used acupuncture to treat back and neck pain, migraines and headaches, fibromyalgia pain, pregnancy pain, dizziness and nausea, stress and anxiety, and chemotherapy-induced nausea.
Will acupuncture treatments hurt?
Our Milwaukee acupuncturist uses long, thin needles to stimulate the central nervous system. These needles are ultra-thin, single-use and sterilized. While some patients may experience a minor pinprick sensation, most patients do not experience pain or discomfort. In fact, many individuals find their acupuncture treatment sessions to be so relaxing that they even fall asleep!
Is acupuncture a long-term pain management solution?
Acupuncture is an effective component of a long-term pain management program. Together with chiropractic care and other drug-free treatments, acupuncture can help manage your pain and reduce or even eliminate the need for medication or surgery. Since every patient experiences pain differently, our treatment programs are fully customized to your specific pain management needs. Some patients even find that after several treatment sessions their health problem has been resolved and they no longer need additional care. For other patients, acupuncture treatments form a core component of their long-term pain management program.
What should I expect during a treatment session?
Most acupuncture treatments sessions last between 15 and 30 minutes. During a treatment session, you will lie down on a table in our quiet, relaxing treatment room. Our acupuncturist will place long, thin needles at specific pressure points along your body. These points correspond with your health complaint or pain concerns.
Is acupuncture safe?
While treatments are safe and effective, not everyone is a good candidate. For example, you should not receive acupuncture treatments if you have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder. Prior to treatment, our Milwaukee wellness team will discuss your full medical history to determine if treatment is right for you.
How many kinds of acupuncture are there?
Acupuncture includes a wider variety of techniques than many people realize. In addition to the familiar form of manual body acupuncture, electroacupuncture may make use of the same points and strategies. The addition of tiny, painless amounts of electrical energy can enhance the effects of the acupuncture while reducing the need to manipulate the needles. Another variant, auricular acupuncture, focuses on acupuncture points on the ear which can positively benefit the entire body.
How can acupuncture enhance my everyday health and wellness?
Acupuncture has the ability to increase serotonin and levels while reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol, a known suppressor of white cell and T-cell count. This re-balancing of your hormonal regulatory system ensures that your immune system maintains stronger resistance against disease. Studies also indicates that acupuncture's ability to control inflammation can help reduce the risk of inflammation-related ailments such as cancer.
How can acupuncture help me lose weight?
Acupuncture can assist in weight loss in a number of ways. Not only can it help reduce cortisol (a known factor in weight gain as well as stress), but it can also help balance the hormones that govern your appetite. Managing your chronic pain via acupuncture even frees you to become more physically active, permitting you to burn more daily calories both through physical exertion and by building muscle (which increases your baseline calorie usage).
What scientific evidence is there that acupuncture can play a role in my weight loss?
Acupuncture has produced some impressive clinical findings where weight loss in concerned. A 2014 study of the effects of acupuncture on obese subjects demonstrated that both auricular acupuncture and body acupuncture can significantly reduce BMI (body mass index), hip circumference, waist circumference,and trunk fat mass. A 2011 study also found that acupuncture may reduce both BMI and abdominal fat in obese children.
What other techniques do you prescribe alongside acupuncture?
Here at Vitality Health & Wellness Center of WI, we use a blended approach that freely combines multiple treatment modalities to suit your specific health, wellness and pain management goals. Your personalized program may include a mix of acupuncture, infrared sauna treatment, laser therapy, lipo fat burning treatments, and/or our expertly supervised Weight Loss Start-Up Package (which combines acupuncture, hypnotherapy and other powerful weight loss tools).
If you have any other questions about Acupunture, or any of the techniques we use here at Vitality Health and Wellness, contact a member of our team today on (262) 827-4000.