Week 12 of 52: Acupuncture!

One, or more new things per week for the 2013 year...

Week  12 of 52 (March 18^th, 2013 to March 24^th, 2013): Acupuncture

                This week I decided to get some Acupuncture done! I have had friends and family around me that have done it and have felt like it was a great way of treating certain illnesses or pains in the body. So for those of you who are wondering, what is Acupuncture? Let me tell you! 

Acupuncture is a collection of procedures which involves the stimulation of points on the body using a variety of techniques, such as penetrating the skin with needles that are then manipulated manually or by electrical stimulation. Sticking the body with sterile needles is by far the most common procedure. Acupuncture dates back to the Shang Dynasty (1600–1100 BC), and has been common among Chinese medicine ever since. According to the traditional Chinese medicine approach, stimulating specific acupuncture points corrects imbalances in the flow of qi (life energy or life force) through channels known as meridians (the path in which the qi flows).

Although there is no strong scientific evidence to back the use of Acupuncture to treat certain illnesses it has been found to be more effective than placebos in the relief of certain types of pain and post-operative nausea. Recent systematic reviews found that acupuncture also seems to be a promising treatment option for anxiety, sleep disturbances, and depression, but again no strong scientific studies have proven this. But those who have undergone the procedures have felt better as a result. Acupuncture has been effective enough for certain conditions that it has been endorsed by the United States National Institutes of Health, the National Health Service of the United Kingdom, the World Health Organization. So there are at least some people who believe in it!

I personally can say that my procedure was one of just simple relaxation. I didn’t go in with the intent of having anything cured, because I was lucky enough to not need anything cured. However, I can say that I did feel more relaxed by the needles. Wether or not this was a placebo effect, I don’t know. But either way, it was an interesting experience. I thought that it might hurt, but it didn’t. The needles are tiny and could barely be felt. The only adverse effect this had on me, was one of the needles placed in my hand made my hand feel a little sore for a few hours, but then it was gone and all was well! Until next week!