How Does Acupuncture Work?

Acupuncture can help relieve countless bodily ailments, both physical and psychological.  Headaches, allergies and anxiety are all treatable by acupuncture.  But how does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points on the body by means of penetration by thin needles, laser, heat or pressure.  From an eastern perspective, these points run along the body’s meridians, or energy passages.  Acupuncture stimulates these points and relieves Qi (life energy) blockages to restore balance and allow the body heal.

Considering the increasing popularity of acupuncture in Western societies, it is necessary to develop a more Western understanding of how and why acupuncture works.  From this more modern, scientific perspective, acupuncture targets points of specific electrical sensitivity that run along the body’s nervous system.

Stimulating these points also stimulates sensory receptors and nerves, causing a hypothalamic-pituitary response in the brain.  This response results in the release neurotransmitters such as endorphins, serotonin and oxytocin, which help to naturally treat conditions such as pain, discomfort, stress, anxiety and depression.

Acupuncture also increases blood flow.  Blood helps deliver nutrients, hormones, painkillers and anti-inflammatories throughout the body, so increasing circulation within a specific area can help relieve it from a variety of ailments and heal whatever damage those conditions have caused.

Acupuncture is a fantastic way to naturally treat countless conditions.  Its affects have been proven by both time and modern science.