It’s effective for carpal tunnel, cramps, migraines, and more.
Used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for at least 2,600 years, acupuncture can significantly reduce painful menstrual cramps—compared to pharmaceutical drugs or even herbal medicine. While the cause of cramps remains unknown, the pain, nausea, and bloating they can create each month keep 10% of women from going to work or going about their usual routines.
An issue of the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found “convincing evidence on the effectiveness of using acupuncture to treat pain, as it stimulated the production of endorphins [feel-good hormones] and serotonin [a neurotransmitter than regulates mood] in the central nervous system.”
This TCM technique has even been found to relieve chronic pain—headaches and even migraines, lower back and neck pain, and osteoarthritis of the knee. And researchers at the University of Pennsylvania find this calming and relaxing therapy to be cost effective.
A randomized study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology shows that acupuncture is a safe, non-drug option for joint pain in women being treated for breast cancer. Not only did this technique significantly lessen pain’s severity, but the women receiving acupuncture also noticed improvements in their overall wellness.
That’s not all: This ancient art can improve pregnancy rates in women undergoing fertility treatment and increase sperm counts in men. In addition, acupuncture has been used to treat depression, lessen stress, and can even alleviate anxiety at the dentist’s office.
I’m a great believer in the power of the body’s own healing frequencies—the internal electromagnetic system that sends chemical and electrical messages 24/7 to keep you alive and functioning well.
With acupuncture, electrical stimulation or hair-thin needles are applied to certain points in the body—along meridians that (when mapped) look remarkably like electrical circuitry—to remove any blocks to your body’s natural flow of energy and relieve pain. To find a qualified acupuncturist near you, go to www.nccaom.org or call 904-598-1005.
“Acupuncture strengthens and balances the body’s own electrical currents,” says Martha Howard, MD, medical director of Wellness Associates in Chicago. Western researchers have begun seriously studying acupuncture and its benefits in recent decades—so much so that Chinese practitioners are now turning to these studies in their own traditional practice!
Star Wars Meets Ancient Healing
That’s not to say that Asian healers have ignored this practice—in fact, they’ve created a space-age version, laser acupuncture. Margaret A. Naeser, PhD, LAc, a research professor at Boston University School of Medicine who has been studying this “Star Wars” technique since 1984, finds low-level cold-laser very safe—and gentle enough to use on infants.
Cold-laser acupuncture appears to strengthen electrochemical energy in the cells, improving their ability to repair themselves via several different pathways. This technique is something professional athletes have used for years to stay in top shape—and out of pain. Many sports trainers use cold-laser therapy to treat injuries (sprains, strains, and contusions).
Evidence also suggests that low-level laser acupuncture increases the activity of the potent antioxidant superoxide dismustase (SOD). Ironically, dangerous electromagnetic fields (EMFs)—to which we’re increasingly exposed from cell phones, PDAs, and Wi-Fi—only weaken SOD and other critical antioxidants that enhance cellular health.
For Added Support
Besides working with a licensed acupuncturist, consider supplements that can zap EMFs—and enhance your body’s natural electromagnetism. Electropollutants target your cell membranes, so sufficient mineral levels are critical for your body to produce SOD. For a baseline study of your own mineral levels, have a Tissue Mineral Analysis (TMA), which provides a 2- to 3-month blueprint of deficiencies and excesses in your body.
If you’re low in minerals that protect against EMFs, try Trace Lyte Minerals, a homeopathic combination of organic minerals that strengthens cell walls, protecting them from environmental and other damage. Even people who can’t tolerate other supplements because of digestive difficulties can benefit from these minerals.
Sources:
https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2010/03/dentist-acupuncture-anxiety.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20226140
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20189001
www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61H0TD20100218
https://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/020808.htm
https://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/introduction.htm
www.cms.hhs.gov/coverage/download/id83.pdf
