Porcupines

“There must be something to acupuncture. You never see any sick porcupines.” (Bob Goddard)

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese method of healing, which involves the insertion of very fine, sterile needles into particular points of the body known as "acupuncture points." Chinese medical theory holds that acupuncture works by normalizing the balance of Qi (pronounced "chee") –vital energy throughout the body. An acupuncturist finds the root cause of the imbalance and focuses on treating that imbalance.

Acupuncture is thought to work by influencing the Qi, which flows through channels (meridians) in the body. These channels can be compared to highways. When there are no impediments, traffic will move smoothly. If there is an accident (or other blockage), the normal flow can be disrupted. The patient's flow of energy is influenced by the needling of acupoints. Western research has demonstrated that the acupuncture needling stimulates a number of positive changes in the body, influencing the body’s homeostatic system (internal regulating system).

Acupuncture points are located at precise places along interconnected pathways that map the whole body, including the head, trunk and limbs. The most commonly used acupuncture points are on the lower arms and legs. Acupuncture is effective in treating over forty different disease categories including arthritis, allergies, pain, colds, headaches, immune disorders, heart problems, pregnancy symptoms, skin problems, and depression.

Acupuncture is effective in treating over forty different disease categories including arthritis, allergies, pain, colds, headaches, immune disorders, heart problems, pregnancy symptoms, skin problems, and depression. Below are the top ten benefits of acupuncture:

Reduced Stress-Stress is one of the top reasons people seek acupuncture treatment. Whether it is demands from our job or personal pressures we place on ourselves, nearly 77% of us admit that we experience the physical symptoms of stress. Acupuncture has been proven to lower stress hormones and moderate mood to reduce anxiety and improve overall feelings of happiness.

Allergy Relief-Acupuncture can be important to preventing allergies but it is important to being treatments to strengthen your body before allergy season begins. Acupuncture may also reduce allergy symptoms and can be used in place of or in conjunction with antihistamines.[i]

Enhanced Mental Clarity and Increased Energy-Acupuncture patients report enhanced mental clarity and often experience a surge of increased energy. Improved sleep is additional benefit, which is why acupuncture is used to treat sleep disorders like insomnia (difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep even when a person has the chance to do so).

Fewer Injuries on the Body Due to Repetitive Strain-Repetitive stress injuries are some of the most common job-related injuries. Acupuncture is effective in treating repetitive stress injuries and can eliminate the need for surgery or drugs.

Improved Immune System -Acupuncture can help fight off pathogens by boosting the body’s immune system. Acupuncture treatment can also reduce the duration of a cold and relieve debilitating symptoms that keep you feeling miserable.

Reduced Back Pain, Neck Tension, and Relieve Joint Pain in the Hands and Arms-Keyboards, heavy backpacks, cell phones, and poor posture are just a few of the culprits that create the type of pain that penetrates into our workday and keeps us up at night. Acupuncture provides drug-free pain relief while also reduces swelling and inflammation. Acupuncture needles are hair-thin and flexible, which means you hardly feel them when inserted.

Reduced Cigarette Craving-Acupuncture can be effective in the road to quitting or reducing smoking habits. In addition to helping ease jitters, curb cravings, and lessen irritability, it also promotes lung tissue repair while increasing relaxation and detoxification in the body.

Reduced Eye Strain-Acupuncture can relive eye strain that is often connected to neck tension. Acupuncture also treats many eye ailments such as myopia, hypermetropia, cataracts, glaucoma, presbyopia, astigmatism, amblyopia, diplopia, color blindness, and night blindness.[ii]

Relief from Digestive Conditions-The link between digestive health and overall health is inescapable. Acupuncture can effectively regulate the digestive system, which is good news for those plagued by gastrointestinal (referring collectively to the stomach and small and large intestines) problems.

Relief from Headaches-Acupuncture has been used to treat headaches for thousands of years. Recent studies have shown that acupuncture can reduce days with migraines and may have lasting effects. With the most common side effects being a sense of euphoria and relaxation, acupuncture is a choice treatment for those seeking a less invasive, drug-free option.

 “If ‘I’ is replaced with ‘we’ even illness becomes wellness.” (Long Beach Community Acupuncture)[iii]

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[i]Antihistamine-Any of various compounds that counteract histamine in the body and that are used for treating allergic reactions (such as hay fever) and cold symptoms

 

[ii] Myopia (nearsightedness) occurs when the eyeball is too long, relative to the focusing power of the cornea and lens of the eye. This causes light rays to focus at a point in front of the retina, rather than directly on its surface.

Hypermyopia (farsightedness) is a condition of the eye in which light is focused behind (instead of on) the retina.

Cataracts are caused by a build-up of protein that clouds the eye’s lens, which can lead to blurred vision and eventual blindness.

Glaucoma occurs when there is damage to the optic nerve often due to pressure inside the eye. This pressure builds when the eye’s aqueous fluid cannot drain properly. Damage from the pressure causes loss of peripheral vision, and, eventually, blindness.

Presbyopia is when your eyes gradually lose the ability to see things clearly up close. It is a normal part of aging.

Astigmatism is when your eye isn’t completely round. If your eye is shaped more like a football, light gets bent more in one direction than another. This means only part of an object is in focus. Things at a distance may look blurry and wavy.

Amblyopia (lazy eye) is a type of poor vision that happens in just one eye. It develops when there’s a breakdown in how the brain and the eye work together, and the brain can’t recognize the sight from one eye. Over time, the brain relies more and more on the other, stronger eye while vision in the weaker eye gets worse.

Diplopia (double vision) is only evident when looking through both eyes and disappears if one eye is closed or covered. The condition is caused by misalignment of the eyes by the extraocular muscles (the muscles around the eyeball that control gaze).

Color blindness (color vision deficiency) is the inability to distinguish the differences between certain colors. This condition results from an absence of color sensitive pigment in the cone cells of the retina, the nerve layer at the back of the eye.

Night blindness (nyctalopia) is impaired vision in dim light and in the dark due to impaired function of specific vision cells (the rods) in the retina.

 

[iii] Sources used:

·        “Amblyopia (Lazy Eye)” by National Eye Institute

·        “Antihistamine” by Merriam-Webster

·        “Astigmatism: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment” by WebMD

·        “Definition of Night blindness” by  William C. Shiel Jr.

·        “Far-sightedness” From Wikipedia

·        “Glaucoma Definition” by See International

·        “Medical Definition of Diplopia, binocular” by  William C. Shiel Jr.

·        “Medical Definition of Gastrointestinal” by  William C. Shiel Jr.

·        “Myopia (nearsightedness): causes, treatment” By Gretchyn Bailey

·        “Top 10 Benefits of Acupuncture for Workplace Stress and Pain” By Aligned Modern Health

·        “What are cataracts?” by Sightsavers

·        “What is Acupuncture?” by INOVA

·        “What is Color-Blindness” by Color Matters

·        “What is Insomnia?” by National Sleep Foundation

·        “What Is Presbyopia?” by American Academy of Ophthalmology