02/13/2023
Acupuncture is an effective form of medical treatment that has evolved into a complete holistic health care system. Practitioners of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) have used this non-invasive treatment method to help millions of people become well and stay well.
Acupuncture works on the understanding that there are energy channels that flow inside the body. Along these energy channels, there are specific points where the energy potential is higher. When I place a very small, fine needle into the acupuncture point, your body responds in a variety of ways. Each point does a specific job or many jobs. How I choose points and what combinations I use all determine how the body will respond in a healing manner.
From a neuroscience perspective, these small needles are affecting the nervous system in a way that promotes a stimulus for healing to occur in the body. When the needle is inserted, your nervous system sends a signal up to the brain from the spinal cord and then the brain responds by sending a specific brew of neurochemicals throughout the body to aid in healing itself. Essentially, acupuncture needles stimulate the body to heal itself because the body has a vast internal network of home-made pharmaceuticals.
Ever heard of endocannabinoids? Your body produces its own set of cannabinoids inside your nervous system that act very similar to what we know as THC/CBD. Another example is that your body also produces its own beta endorphins, which can be about 30 times stronger than opioids. That is huge! This means that by activating your brain to produce these beta endorphins, your body will release its own pain releasing chemicals to give you the pain relief you need. It's like your very own pharmacy inside your body.
The human body is still a vast mystery that continues to unfold as we explore, experiment, and develop our sciences. This is just the tip of the iceberg because acupuncture does so much more than just pain relief such as relieving anxiety, depression, digestive issues, menstrual and fertility issues, assistance with symptoms from chemotherapy, internal medicine, mental health, and many other areas of dis-ease.
