Acupuncture is a system of complementary medicine that uses fine needles inserted in the skin. We should add not randomly inserted but at specific points along the lines of meridians, which are energy lines. A Chinese medicine that has been used in China for more than three thousand years.
The goal of acupuncture is to promote and restore the balance of energy which flows through the body. It has been developed, tested, researched and refined over centuries providing a complex and detailed understanding of the body’s energetic balance.
Chinese and western medicine was first practised alongside one another in China in 1948. It has taken the Western world a little longer to catch up but is today one of the most popular Traditional Chinese Medicines.
What are the benefits?
It can be used to treat a wide range of health conditions, pain and stress-related symptoms. Plus, it enhances the body’s own healing chemicals to aid recovery.
- There are very few side effects.
- Can be effectively combined with other treatments.
- I can control some types of pain.
- May help patients for whom pain medications are not suitable.
Acupuncture is also used to treat musculoskeletal conditions (of the bones and muscles) and pain conditions, including chronic pain, such as neck and joint pain.
How we use acupuncture at Sarum Physio
At Sarum Physio, we use acupuncture alongside other physiotherapy treatment to reduce pain, promote healing and speed up recovery. We use both Traditional and Western acupuncture, including trigger point techniques. Acupuncture can really help in acute problems such as neck and back pain, whiplash injury and is used widely for chronic pain such as osteoarthritis of the knee.