Does Acupuncture Work?
The short answer is, yes, acupuncture works. Having 2 clinics in the Triangle area since 2003, we have seen acupuncture work every day to help people out of pain, lower their anxiety, and alleviate all kinds of various health concerns. The effectiveness of acupuncture is recognized by many health institutions who have begun incorporating these treatments into their patient care plans such as Johns Hopkins, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Mayo Clinic, and locally at both Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill. Several years ago, the World Health Organization published an extensive list of conditions that acupuncture effectively treats. The US army and Veterans Administration uses acupuncture both in the battlefields and here at home in their many hospitals.
Exactly how acupuncture works is a question that scientists in this country have been diligently studying in recent years. For instance, there is a great appetite to find other ways of treating pain instead of relying on the use of addictive drugs like opioids. Research is finding exciting evidence that acupuncture not only releases feel-good hormones like endorphins and reduces inflammation locally, but it also enables the nervous system to re-wire it’s pain response. This is one of the keys for relieving chronic pains that have caused months or years of suffering.
The effects on the body’s nervous system are also responsible for acupuncture’s success at treating PTSD and other emotional issues. Within just a few treatments, patients usually notice big changes in their stress response. Many studies have documented acupuncture’s beneficial effects on the digestive system, endocrine system, immune system, cardiovascular system. By stimulating the body’s various systems, acupuncture can have multiple effects at once making it a truly holistic form of medicine. In one treatment you can experience pain relief, better digestive functioning, improved sleep, and deep relaxation. It doesn’t get much better than that!
If you’ve never tried acupuncture, we have experienced practitioners in both our Raleigh and Chapel Hill locations who are ready to introduce you to its many health benefits. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us!