Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into specific points for the prevention and treatment of pain and disease. It has been the primary healthcare in China for the last 5,000 years, and in many oriental medical clinics, the emphasis is on restoring balance before a disease or pain appears.

Traditional acupuncture is based on the theories of the Qi (Energy) and Xue (Blood) through distinct pathways that circulate through the body in specific patterns. Acupuncture helps Qi flow to areas where it is deficient and unblocks areas that are stuck. In this way, acupuncture regulates and restores the harmonious energetic balance of the body. One of the oldest comprehensive acupuncture text books, The Nei Jing, is believed to have been written around 200 BC. There is a saying, "There is no pain if there is free flow; if there is pain, there is no free flow."

Acupuncture is best known in the US for pain control. However, because acupuncture helps to balance the body, it can actually treat a wide variety of disorders that Western medicine may have no good answers for.
The following is a list of disorders that the World Health Organization says can be treated by acupuncture:

Respiratory Acute Sinusitis Acute rhinitis Common cold Acute tonsillitis Acute bronchitis Bronchial asthma Eye Acute conjunctivitis (pinkeye) Nearsightedness (in children) Cataract (without complications) Mouth Toothache, post extraction pain Gingivitis (gum disease) Acute and chronic pharyngitis Gastrointestinal Disorders Constipation Hiccups Gastritis

Gastric Hyperacidity Ulcers Colitis Diarrhea Paralytic ileus Neurological and Musculoskeletal Disorders Headache and migraine Trigeminal neuralgia Paralysis following stroke Meniere's disease Neurogenic bladder dysfunction Nocturnal enuresis (bed wetting) Intercostal neuralgia (pain in the ribs) Cervicobrachial syndrome (pain radiating from neck to arm) Frozen shoulder or Tennis elbow Sciatica Low back pain Osteoarthritis

We can also use acupuncture for the treatment of chronic, painful conditions such as arthritis, bursitis, headache, athletic injuries, and post-traumatic and post-surgical pain. It can also used for treating chronic pain from immune function dysfunction such as psoriasis (skin disorders), allergies, and asthma.

Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of mind-body disorders such as anxiety, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, hypertension, insomnia, PMS, menopausal symptoms, and depression. Other modern uses is the treatment of alcoholism, addiction, smoking, and eating disorders.