Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical art that involves inserting needles at precise points in the body to stimulate healing and to aid physical or mental well-being. Today, the term Medical Acupuncture is used to describe acupuncture performed by a doctor who is trained and licensed in western medicine, or an MD.

How does acupuncture work?
Traditional Chinese medicine describes acupuncture as a way to unblock and correct the body's natural flow of energy. When blockage is removed through use of acupuncture, the body's energy can flow properly to self-correct imbalances.

Today, medical acupuncture is believed to stimulate the body's nervous system to release natural chemicals through the muscles, spinal cord and brain. This reaction can send additional hormones and release other inherent elements that relieve pain and lead to better physical or emotional well-being.

Why should I try acupuncture?
For over 2,000 years acupuncture has been used throughout Asia to prevent illness, enhance health and well-being, and aid in the treatment of medical conditions. Acupuncture is popularly used for pain relief, but it can also be used to treat a wide range of health problems, such as:

• Headache
• Neck and back pain
• Neurological and muscular disorders
• Osteoarthritis
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Sore throat
• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• And more.

How many treatments are necessary?
The number of treatments will vary depending on your symptoms and how your body reacts to treatment. Treatments can range from a few times per week to a few times a year.

Do the needles hurt?
Everyone reacts to acupuncture differently. Many feel minimal pain as the needles are inserted and other feel nothing at all. However, once the needles are inserted, there is no pain. Unlike hypodermic needles, acupuncture needles are very thin and solid, so they are much less invasive than hypodermic needles.

To find out more about acupuncture and our Integrative Medicine group, or to schedule a consultation please call 480.345.5164.

Information on acupuncture referenced from The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (AAMA) 2008.