What is Acupuncture and What Does it Treat?

This article explains what acupuncture is and what conditions it is commonly used to treat.

Every week, there’s a new miracle berry, weight loss diet, pain treatment, home remedy, surgical treatment, or overall panacea product that gets promoted on the “news” and on TV programs like Dr. Oz. An overwhelming number of Americans are on some kind of pharmaceutical medication to solve what ails them, but there are a growing number of people who are experiencing side effects of pharmaceutical drugs that are worse than the original ailment they’re using the product to treat. Of course, many of these pharmaceuticals are pulled from the market if they cause life-threatening side effects or serious harm to the body. However, too many people suffer before the product is taken off the marketplace. This has all got people looking for alternatives and wondering just what is acupuncture?

Unfortunately, conventional medicine addresses even the most minor symptoms, such as a seasonal case of the sniffles and a scratchy throat, with some of the most powerful drugs known to mankind -- antibiotics. This method of treatment (as opposed to an old-fashioned bowl of chicken soup and some bed rest) can lead to antibiotic resistant superbugs, including staph infections. Using statin drugs to lower cholesterol (instead of simply losing some weight, making smarter eating choices, and getting some exercise) can deplete the body of CoQ10 and other nutrients, and actually raise the risk of death from all causes. Meanwhile, surgical mistakes cause millions to suffer from more pain than they were in before going under the knife.  

Well-educated Americans are realizing now that such medical strategies are the equivalent to playing with fire in order to prevent burn injuries. They prefer to address

their own health problems with less invasive strategies that won’t cause harm. Many are discovering that acupuncture in Del Mar, CA is an effective remedy that promotes good health without all the side effects of drugs and surgery. 

What is accupuncture?

Acupuncture is a medical modality that is a component of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which is a time-proven medical system that has been evolving throughout Asia for over 2,000 years. What is the difference between Traditional Chinese Medicine and conventional Western Medicine? First, it is many times more complex than conventional Western Medicine, which is only about 100 years old. Second, TCM utilizes a special method of diagnosis of health conditions by taking into account the patient as an individual, rather than a number on a sheet of paper. Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners look for an overall “pattern diagnosis,” which includes the patient’s body type, phenotype (genetics), weaknesses, and strengths. Then, they look for a “symptom diagnosis,” which is the deviation from the healthy expression of their general pattern or constitution. For example, an outgoing, energetic, and extroverted individual who suddenly wants to stay in the bed all day and avoid social interaction would obviously be suffering from some kind of ailment that needs to be addressed.

 

The acupuncture treatment strategy is to strengthen the individual’s overall health -- as well as address the predominant symptoms -- so that the patient can experience good health again without the need for ongoing treatments for the rest of their life. With acupuncture in Del Mar, CA, you can return to health again without having to worry about side effects from the treatment method. The worst that can happen with acupuncture is a little bruise if you’re the type of person who bruises easily. And it doesn’t hurt that the needles don’t hurt, either!