Five Ways Acupuncture Can Boost Your Wellbeing 

If you're struggling with one of the following ailments, you might consider going under the needle.

Acupuncture, from an Eastern perspective, is all about energy and its flow through your body. If that flow is blocked, the thinking goes, pain or illness results. By gently tapping as many as 20 thin needles into your body at strategic points, acupuncturists try to reestablish the flow which in turn stimulates specific muscles and nerves. This stimulation activates changes that reduces pain, promotes healing and increases your overall sense of wellbeing.

Research shows that this ancient therapy can be an effective treatment for a wide variety of ailments, from back pain and sciatica to headaches, nausea, and asthma. Listed below are the most common conditions that seem to benefit the most from acupuncture.

Acupuncture for… Headaches

For most people, popping an aspirin can thwart the occasional headache. But if your headaches are becoming intense or unremitting, acupuncture can help. Acupuncture taps directly into recent research theorizing that tension headaches—the most common kind—are not caused by muscles alone. Neurochemicals associated with mood and emotional well-being, such as nitric oxide and serotonin, may also play a role. So how can acupuncture help? The needles appear to send signals to brain to adjust the levels of these neurochemicals thereby reducing the frequency and intensity of your headaches.

Acupuncture for… Gastrointestinal Problems

Many acupuncture patients seek out the treatment to reduce digestive troubles such as cramping and diarrhea. A good acupuncturist will work with you to pinpoint a customized diet and exercise regimen, along with acupuncture sessions. Sometimes only two or three sessions are needed to see results. Acupuncture's ability to combat basic stress may be a key part of its effectiveness with gastrointestinal disorders. Research shows that there is a strong link between stress and GI systems, such as indigestion, and acupuncture can beat antacids by a mile. But how? Needle treatments prompt a decrease in stomach acid and speed up digestion, so less acid backs up into the esophagus.

Acupuncture for…Sports Injuries

Many injured athletes use acupuncture for relief. Several NFL players, including Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former New York Giants running back Tiki Barber turn to acupuncture frequently for muscle strains. One theory as to why acupuncture works especially well on sports injuries has to do with blood flow. The body responds to needles by further increasing the flow of oxygenated blood to the injured area, which helps speed the healing process. Athletes rely on acupuncture to treat everything from ankle sprains, muscle soreness, tennis elbow and tendinitis.

Acupuncture for…Back Pain

Treating back pain is by far the most common reason people turn to acupuncture. As with sports injuries, the needles increase blood flow to muscles and tissues. Acupuncture helps pain receptors in the brain bind more easily to opioids such as endorphins, our body’s natural painkiller. It also helps the receptors bind to painkilling drugs typically prescribed for back pain such as codeine or morphine. And the better those work, the less you hurt.

Acupuncture for…Anxiety and Depression

Any little setback can trigger mild anxiety, and a traumatic episode such as a job loss or the death of friend or family member can cause depression. In either case, acupuncture treatment can help a person feel more relaxed and able to deal with the pressures of life. Why the mental boost? When needles enter your earlobes, hands, or feet, your brain releases neuro-transmitters and other chemicals that affect stress and mood.

Restore Your Wellbeing

If you are living with any of these ailments, now is the time to start working with Princeton Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Our licensed acupuncturists will design your customized treatment plan to provide relief through a combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbs, nutritional guidance and other modalities. Start your healing and contact us today to schedule a consultation.