Is acupuncture safe?

Is acupuncture safe? Is acupuncture safe is indeed a poignant question. Afterall the idea of having your body drilled with steel needles is not the most attractive idea. In fact if the treatment goal is for relaxation the whole concept may seem counter productive especially after a long day of battling it out with your boss. So, exactly what is this stuff and what is the following behind it. First of all acupuncture is thousands of years old and has evolved into it’s own form of healthcare. It is based on a holistic model of restoring balance to the body. In that sense the concepts are not much different than western medicine that tries to determine where the patient is in their health and in what direction the disease processes are pushing the person dynamically.  When performing a treatment an acupuncturist will insert small sterile needles along specific pathways called meridians. Although meridians is a term from acupuncture many of these pathways correspond to the network of nerves in the body mapped out by western neurology. According to acupuncture this process promotes the healing recuperative power of the body. While it doesn’t sound like much at first there are numerous studies to confirm it’s effectiveness. Many of these studies along with videos can be found on our website. There is little danger of infection from acupuncture needles. The needles are sterile and are discarded in hazardous containers once they have been used. They are quite small and approach the size of cat whiskers. The training for acupuncturists is also quite extensive. It involves up to four years of training at an accredited graduate program and usually has a heavy dose of western anatomy and physiology to boot. Graduates must pass a national exam and also meet state and insurance guidelines in their area. So the next time you have a concern over a chronic condition that hasn’t responded to care try giving acupuncture a try. All you have to lose is your pain.