Even if you’ve never tried this type of treatment, most of us are familiar with acupuncture. Originating from China thousands of years ago, acupuncture is a common form of treatment that has helped countless people find relief from pain. While additional research is still needed, many studies suggest that acupuncture can also treat many other health conditions, such as arthritis, sciatica pain, headaches, or even stress and anxiety. While once considered as an “alternative therapy,” acupuncture is gaining ground in more and more places as a vital and effective form of treatment.
But what are the health conditions that can be treated by acupuncture? How does acupuncture work? And perhaps most importantly, does it hurt? In this blog, we answer all these questions and more to help you learn about this ancient, holistic, and effective form of treatment that has helped patients for thousands of years.
Governor’s Park Chiropractic is the leading full-service chiropractic office serving patients in Colorado and the greater Denver area. Our premier chiropractic office offers a range of healthcare treatments, including chiropractic care, spinal decompression, massage therapy, acupuncture, and more. With unmatched experience and a dedicated and knowledgeable staff, Governor’s Park Chiropractic can speed up your recovery time, relieve chronic pain, and help you prevent future injuries. Together, let us help you begin your journey toward better health and wellness.
What is Acupuncture?
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, acupuncture is the “practice of penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles which are then activated through gentle and specific movements of the practitioner’s hands or with electrical stimulation.” But the story of acupuncture begins much earlier than Johns Hopkins University or even most Western medicine.
Acupuncture is a traditional form of treatment used for thousands of years. Originating from China roughly 3,000 years ago, acupuncture has been commonly used to treat a wide range of health problems. The foundation of acupuncture is based on the traditional Chinese belief that your body’s energy flow, or Qi, is responsible for your overall health and wellness. Your Qi flows throughout the body and pathways connect the roughly 2,000 acupuncture points. By applying acupuncture to these various points throughout the body, it is believed that acupuncture can treat a range of health issues and boost your physical and even mental health.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
This healing process works by having a licensed acupuncturist insert very thin needles into various points across the body of the patient. After insertion, these needles are believed to stimulate the central nervous system, which impacts almost every aspect of your health and wellness. The stimulation of the nervous system releases chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. Studies suggest that these biochemical changes may stimulate your body’s natural healing ability and improve your overall health and wellbeing.
Many patients are initially concerned that acupuncture will hurt. After all, this is a fair assumption considering most people’s experiences with needles. However, it’s important to note that an acupuncture needle is much smaller and thinner than a medical needle used for a shot. Those needles are much larger because they have to inject a substance, usually some type of medication, whereas acupuncture needles don’t. For most patients, acupuncture needles feel like light pressure when inserted. In fact, acupuncture is usually so pain-free that many patients even fall asleep during the process.
What is Acupuncture Good For?
Acupuncture is an ideal form of holistic treatment for many different health problems. Many people are shocked to learn what acupuncture can do for not only your body but also your mind. Here are some of the most common health conditions that can be treated by professional acupuncture:
- Musculoskeletal pain.
- Neck pain.
- Inflammation.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Arthritis.
- Asthma.
- Sciatica pain.
- Insomnia.
- Headaches and migraines.
- Sinus congestion.
- Stress and anxiety.
- Nausea.
- Gynecological issues.
- Fibromyalgia.
As you can see, acupuncture treatment can be effective for a wide array of physical and mental health conditions.
Can a Chiropractor Perform Acupuncture?
We all know that chiropractors perform spinal adjustments to relieve chronic back pain or joint stiffness. But this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what a professional chiropractor can do for you and your healthcare needs. At a chiropractic office, patients can also receive treatments including massage therapy, spinal decompression, general therapy and rehabilitation, custom orthotics, and yes, even acupuncture.
There are two primary ways that a chiropractor can provide acupuncture to their patients. The first is for the chiropractor to pursue their own acupuncture license, referred to as a Licensed Acupuncturist degree (LAc). However, the chiropractor may instead pursue an acupuncture certification, which allows them to perform acupuncture.
However, if your chiropractor is not certified to perform acupuncture, this doesn’t mean that their office can’t help. Many chiropractor offices also employ licensed acupuncturists who focus solely on providing acupuncture care to patients. If your chiropractic office doesn’t employ an acupuncturist, they should be able to refer you to a nearby acupuncturist you can trust.
What Else Can Chiropractors Treat?
In addition to providing acupuncture to patients, chiropractors are experts in treating a range of health conditions. Chiropractors are truly versatile healthcare providers who can help patients find relief from pain, reduce joint stiffness, improve mobility, treat nervous system issues, and more. If you’re experiencing one of these health problems, then chiropractic care could be right for you:
- Back or neck pain.
- Joint stiffness.
- Chronic pain.
- Headaches or migraines.
- Sciatica.
- Inflammatory arthritis.
- Sports injuries.
- Car accident injuries.
- Post-surgery rehab.
- Learning to use an assistive device, like a cane or walker.
Even if you aren’t experiencing one of these listed health problems, chiropractic care can still help. Receiving regular chiropractic care can help you stay healthy and avoid future injuries. This is true, especially if you’re active, as seeing a chiropractor can help you maintain the lifestyle you love for years to come.
Conclusion – What is Acupuncture Good For?
At first glance, having your body stuck with dozens of thin needles can seem confusing or even frightening. But you shouldn’t allow this to prevent you from experiencing the many health benefits of receiving acupuncture care. Whether performed by a certified chiropractor or a licensed acupuncturist, this form of treatment can prove effective at relieving chronic pain, reducing joint stiffness, helping you relax, and treating health conditions like sinus congestion, arthritis pain, sciatica pain, and more.
If you’re in need of expert and effective acupuncture, Governor’s Park Chiropractic can help. We understand that every journey toward healing is unique, which is why we pride ourselves on developing personalized treatment programs for each patient. Whether you’re suffering from chronic pain, sciatica pain, arthritis, a sports injury, or a car accident injury, our team of chiropractors can help you heal and recover. Led by Dr. Ferdowsian, our lead chiropractor, we utilize non-invasive therapy techniques to provide holistic and effective care. No matter your health care needs, Governor’s Park is on your side.
Contact us today at Governor’s Park Chiropractic to discover what our full-service chiropractic care can do for you.
Governor's Park Chiropractic is the Colorado chiropractor team dedicated to helping individuals get out of pain and achieve better health. Offering a range of services and treatment options to meet the specific needs of each patient.