The Chinese have been practicing acupuncture for thousands of years. Acupuncture is a treatment that uses very thin steel needles inserted into the skin to stimulate specific points in the body. The goal is to relieve a health condition or symptom, such as pain. Chinese people believe that energy flows through these points and when they get blocked, illness can set in. Scientific studies have confirmed its effectiveness for some conditions like arthritis and back pain. In this article, we will explore what Chinese acupuncture entails and how it might help you!
In Chinese, the word ‘acupuncture’ means “inserting needles at specific points in order to regulate one’s health.” The Chinese have been practicing acupuncture for thousands of years. Acupuncture is a treatment that uses very thin steel needles inserted into the skin to stimulate specific points on or below your body called acupoints. The goal is to relieve a health condition or symptom such as pain, which can be caused by an imbalance in what Chinese medicine calls qi (pronounced chi). Qi flows through these points and when they get blocked, illness can set in. Scientific studies reveal its effectiveness for some conditions like arthritis or back pain.
What you should know before doing Chinese acupuncture.
– Chinese needles are different in that they use a thinner steel needle than what is used for Western acupuncture. The Chinese have to insert the needles deeper into your skin because of this, so make sure you tell them if it hurts too much or feels like an injury.
– Chinese medicine practitioners will typically do cupping on you as well – cups are heated up and then applied onto your back with suction (the idea is these would help clear out qi blockages).
The Benefits of Chinese Acupuncture:
Acupuncture has been found in some scientific studies to relieve headaches, neck pain, depression, and anxiety. It may also be helpful for people who suffer from arthritis, shingles, or fibromyalgia; and those experiencing nausea. The acupuncturist will discuss your ailment with you during your initial appointment. The therapist will then check your body to see if there are any regions that will respond to acupuncture. The acupuncturist will insert needles into certain places on your skin all throughout your body.
The Chinese acupuncture needles range in size from very thin to thick. The thinner the needle, the more sensitive and shallow it will go into your skin. Thicker needles can reach deeper tissues for a longer period of time by not going through the skin as deeply because they are made of stiffer steel than finer ones. Acupuncture is generally used on your head, neck, face or ears; however there may be other places where you feel an ache or pain such as low back pain due to sciatica that would benefit too (and in some cases these areas need treatment with Chinese herbal medicines).
Acupuncture points on your body map out sections: upper half, lower half, left side and right side which correspond to different internal organs.