When You Should Visit an Acupuncturist over a Chiropractor or Physiotherapist

Contrary to Western belief systems, acupuncture does not involve just inserting needles into parts of the body in order to alleviate pain. In fact, acupuncture is an entire medical protocol that focuses on the correction on imbalances related to energy inside the body. Since its inception 2,500 years back in China, acupuncture was and is still used to traditionally diagnose, treat and prevent disease and to improve overall health.

The explanation of the effectiveness of acupuncture in traditional terms is that it changes the Qi or Chi, which is energy flow throughout a patient's body. Research that was published in 2010, for "Nature Neuroscience", demonstrated that acupuncture needling had a direct influence on adenosine which is a type of amino acid. The activity of adenosine explains the pain relief that is often experienced after an acupuncture session.

When Can Acupuncture Be Used Over a Physiotherapist or A Chiropractor

Because the main aim of acupuncture will be to restore and promote the correct balance of the energy that flows through the body, the advantages of acupuncture can stretch over a number of conditions. Acupuncture can be used over physiotherapy or chiropractic treatments for the following:

• Emotional disorders such as depression or anxiety
• Digestive complaints such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), vomiting and nausea
• It can prove to assist in pain syndromes caused from an injury or pain associated with "chronic" degenerative diseases like rheumatoid arthritis
• Rehabilitation strategies for patients who have suffered from a stroke
• Relieve migraine headaches, dental pain, "chronic" lower back pain and dental pain

More reasons for choosing an Acupuncturist clinic over Western practices:

• Collaboration

Acupuncture clinics work alongside healthcare providers, physicians and hospitals including teaching and research experience that provides patients with optimum experiences from both Western and Eastern health care.

• Experience

Over many years of practice, acupuncture practices have created a treatment experience that is comfortable and fuses a unique and practical style along with a Western approach.

• Exceptional Training

The educational backgrounds relating to acupuncture is diverse and many of the practices commit to remaining current with any new advances in the profession which enables practitioners to provide optimal comprehensive treatments.

• Specialization

Acupuncture specializes in the treatment of the entire body and provides therapies that can often complement a patient's current medical care. Acupuncture is widely known for treatment of functional disorders, treating pain and stress and mood related conditions.

• Treatment

Most acupuncture practices offer a free and professional consultation to assess whether acupuncture would be the best course of treatment for a patient.

• Effective, Gentle and Safe Treatments

Acupuncture clinics make use of state-of-art equipment and sterile, disposable needles. The art involved in experienced practice along with the benefits involved in a treatment offers patients a favorable and pleasant experience.

What to Expect When Visiting a Practitioner of Acupuncture?

Generally, the first visit will comprise of a health history, comprehensive assessment. The questions that are asked may seem weird, but in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) which involves herbal medicine, Gua Sha (aka Scraping Therapy) and acupuncture, energy flow along with whole body interactions are important to diagnose physical diseases.

An example of the examination may include an examination of the tongue, ask questions about the diet and bowel habits as well as feel the patients pulse to determine the flow of energy. Once the first acupuncture assessment has been completed, needles will be gently inserted into particular locations. When the needles are first inserted, the patient may feel a stinging or sharp sensation for a moment. However, it has been reported that many people do not even feel most of these insertions.

It is very common to feel a deep-ache for a very short-time in a few of the specified points. Once the needles have been inserted the practitioner may manipulate the needles in a gentle manner and some practitioners will use electricity or heat with these needles.

Acupuncture has become recognized increasingly by Western medicine and can be used as a very effective alternative over more traditional methods such as chiropractic treatments or physiotherapy.

by http://trainedto.com/