How to Know if Acupuncture Is the Miracle Cure You’re Looking For

Mar 2

Have you been curious about trying acupuncture to relieve pain, but you’re a bit skeptical about it? Do you have a friend who raves about acupuncture, but you don’t know how it works, or if it would work for you? Does it raise red flags because it’s a treatment outside of Western medical norms?

I’m guessing that’s why you’re here (perhaps from Google search results) - to learn more about this “woo-woo” treatment, and decide whether it’s worth your time and money. Because let’s be serious - you’re too busy to waste time on pseudoscience experiments.

I get it. I felt the same too until I experienced first-hand the healing powers of energy work, like acupuncture. I was at my wits end, trying to treat my tension with exercise, mindfulness, rest, and chiropractic care, but nothing made me feel better. My neck still ached and I got dizzy everytime I turned my head to the right.

Then, in an instant, the condition I’d dealt with for months was suddenly cured from one energy-healing guided meditation. It sounds unbelievable. And if it hadn’t happened to me, I wouldn’t be so convinced that energy healing, like acupuncture, can resolve hard-to-treat conditions.

And if you need more proof that acupuncture is a legit treatment option, many medical doctors offer acupuncture as part of their treatment plans, like iShine’s own Dr. Claudia Harsh! In fact, acupuncture is used with chemotherapy patients for nausea, pain and numbness. Plus, the NIH and CDC acknowledge acupuncture as a valid treatment..

So if the US government acknowledges acupuncture as a valid practice, then it must be legit, right? Yes, it is legit! In fact, it has been proven effective at treating many conditions.

Do you want to know if acupuncture is the cure you’re looking for? Continue reading and I’ll help answer your questions - What is acupuncture? What does it treat? Does it hurt? What are the risks? And can acupuncture help me?

WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?

Acupuncture is a 3,000 year old practice that has its roots in ancient China. Acupuncture needles are used to contact your vital energy or your Qi (pronounced “chee”). Qi flows through energy channels, called meridians, which run all over and throughout your body.

Sometimes energy gets stuck in a spot. This can happen when something traumatic or negative occurs in your life. If this stuck energy isn’t cleared, an energy imbalance occurs in your body. When this happens, you’ll often experience physical or emotional discomfort, and possibly, eventually disease.

Eek! Sounds scary, right?!

No need to worry. There are plenty of things you can do to clear blocked energy. One of those things is acupuncture.

Acupuncture involves placing hair-thin needles into the skin in specific acupuncture points around the body. These points are where your energy channels surface near the skin and are energetically linked to specific organs in your body.

The acupuncture needles help disseminate the stuck energy so that it flows freely again. In turn, your pesky symptoms are resolved.

From a Western medicine viewpoint, the insertion of acupuncture needles causes local microtrauma that releases anti-inflammatory chemicals such as bradykinin and histamine that decrease pain and swelling. It also releases muscle spasms and is associated with the release of endorphins, associated with pleasure and pain relief. In addition, the neurotransmitter serotonin is released with acupuncture treatments; this can help symptoms of depression and anxiety.

And let’s just pause here for a moment. If you're reading this article, you may have recognized that something feels ‘off’ with you, physically or emotionally. You may be reading this because you’re looking for possible fixes. Take a moment of gratitude for yourself - because you have enough awareness to have noticed, and because you’re a badass who’s taking the steps to resolve it.

WHAT DOES ACUPUNCTURE TREAT?

This may or may not be obvious to you, but you’re not just a physical person. You’re also an energetic being. This is why an energy-based healing modality like acupuncture can help you treat just about any physical ailment. From a stiff neck to stage 4 cancer.

But more specifically, below is a list of issues commonly treated through acupuncture:

Stress-related tension
Chronic pain
Headaches
Infertility (both male and female causes)
Gastro-intestinal issues (nausea, indigestion, etc.)
Hormonal imbalances, including PMS and menopause
High blood pressure
Fatigue
Cancer recovery / Chemotherapy side effects
Carpal tunnel
Addiction

Many oncologists prescribe acupuncture to their cancer patients to alleviate nausea and pain caused by chemotherapy.

And the research on acupuncture continues to grow. A team of neuroscientists at Harvard have used acupuncture to successfully treat systemic inflammation in mice. Also, a current ongoing research study is testing acupuncture as a treatment for inflammation in COVID-19 patients.

Inflammation has been shown to be a precursor to many diseases. And inflammation is very common. It can be caused by the foods we eat, like sugar or processed foods. By using acupuncture to treat inflammation, a person could proactively address her risk for some diseases.

DOES ACUPUNCTURE HURT?

Acupuncture does not hurt, based on my personal experience. I didn’t feel most of the needles when they were inserted. When I did feel any ‘discomfort’ it was a very subtle pinch or a warm sensation, like when you get a minor scratch on dry skin.

Most people who have had acupuncture treatments seem to agree that it’s a very subtle sensation.

The ambiance in many acupuncturists’ treatment rooms is relaxing. At iShine, we have an inviting treatment room with soft music playing. Picture a massage therapy room - that’s what the atmosphere will be like. This makes the experience less fear-inducing than the standard sterile medical exam room.

IS ACUPUNCTURE SAFE?

You can rest assured that acupuncture is safe. The needles are used only once, then discarded. In fact, the FDA has established standards to regulate acupuncture needles. This means they’ll all be the same tiny size and sterile.

Occasionally bleeding or bruising can occur, but it is rare.

Also, you’ll want to let Dr. Claudia know if you have a bleeding disorder, a pacemaker, or if you’re pregnant. Cancer patients on chemotherapy should get clearance from their oncologist for treatment. These conditions could put you at risk for complications from acupuncture treatment.

CAN ACUPUNCTURE HELP ME?

In a word, yes. You are an energetic being living in an energetic world. Any health issue you are facing involves energy. Acupuncture is a method of healing that involves aiding the flow of energy throughout your body. It gets the stuck energy unstuck.

It’s important to point out that you are also a physical human being. So, you’ll see the best results when you approach your health from both the physical and the energetic standpoints. In other words, don’t write off modern medicine. You’ll still want to utilize it to help you heal from whatever you’re facing. Using energy healing and modern medicine in conjunction will ensure the best results!

Click here to request a consultation for Medical Acupuncture by Dr. Claudia Harsh MD at iShine Wellness in Huntersville, NC. This may be the cure you’re looking for!

Sources and Additional Reading:

https://www.graceandbalance.com

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/acupuncture/about/pac-20392763

https://aanmc.org/naturopathic-medicine/all-about-acupuncture/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/156488#what_is_acupuncture

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/acupuncture

https://www.healthline.com/health/acupuncture-how-does-it-work-scientifically#what-to-expect

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/acupuncture-in-depth

https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/what-is-acupuncture

https://www.verywellhealth.com/acupuncture-health-uses-88407

https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/well/health/how-acupuncture-works