Medical Acupuncture
Description
Western medical acupuncture is the use of acupuncture needles, it involves using surgical grade, strelized steel needles to stimulate various areas of soft tissues (muscles, ligaments & tendons typically) inserted into the tissues, aiming to causes a specific therapeutic outcome. It involves stimulating sensory nerves under the skin and in the muscles. This results in the body producing natural substances, such as pain-relieving endorphins. It’s likely that these naturally released substances are responsible for the beneficial effects experienced with acupuncture. A course of acupuncture usually creates longer lasting pain relief than when a single treatment is used. Traditional dry needling is based on the belief that an energy, or “life force”, flows through the body in channels called meridians. This life force is known as Qi (pronounced “chee”). Practitioners who use acupuncture in the traditional way believe that when Qi does not flow freely through the body, this can cause illness. They also believe acupuncture can restore the flow of Qi, and so restore health.
