Advantages And Disadvantages Of Acupuncture

More and more people, suffering from mild to chronic ailments, are now opting for the traditional Chinese medication technique - acupuncture. During this treatment, needles are inserted at strategic locations in the human body, to stimulate the nerves in the spinal cord. This facilitates the release of certain pain-reduction neurotransmitter, which ultimately relieves the pain. Although the treatment has a number of advantages, certain disadvantages are also related to it. To know all about the health benefits and risks of acupuncture, go through the following lines.

Health Benefits Of Acupuncture

Acupuncture provides relief to the patient from physical as well as mental ailments.
In an attempt to eliminate the root causes of a health problem, the treatment examines the entire human body and its relation to the environment.
Acupuncture is a natural substitute to medicine, because the treatment aims to reduce pain naturally.
The treatment helps remove toxins and helps fast healing, because it increases blood flow, when the needles are inserted into the strategic locations of the human body.
Since acupuncture works on the vital energy (Qi) points of the body, it restores and maintains the overall health.
Studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reveal that acupuncture has lower adverse effects on the human body, as compared to the prescribed medications and other medical procedures followed for treating similar conditions.
The treatment of acupuncture is suitable for all age groups, from children, adults to even senior citizens.
It is equally beneficial for people with low immunity.
It increases stamina, restores energy, regulates hormones and boosts the immune system of the body.
Acupuncture is a natural cure for a number of diseases including headache, back pain, insomnia, stress and fatigue. Apart from this, the treatment is effective in curing chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis, hearing loss, dental pain, asthma, diabetes, infertility, migraine, tennis elbow, allergies and hypertension.

Risks Of Acupuncture

Acupuncture is safe only when it is performed by a trained and licensed acupuncturist.
The needles for the treatment should be non-toxic and used only once. They should be properly labeled and sealed. The patient may suffer from various infectious diseases, if the needles are re-used or not sterile.
The effectiveness of acupuncture cannot be generalized. Its effect varies from person to person.
The patient can incur mild soreness in the acupunctured areas in his/her body, after the completion of the treatment.
Few complications have been reported due to the use of needles. If the needles are not inserted properly, it may lead to organ rupture or infection.
Improper placement of needle can lead to bleeding, swelling and painful sensation in the acupunctured areas of the body.
Acupuncture is not recommended for damaged body parts, such as broken bones.
The treatment is not recommended for people suffering from bleeding disorders and patients on blood thinners.
Although the treatment eliminates the root cause of a number of diseases, it is still not able to detect certain other diseases prevalent among people.

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