Chiropractic and Acupuncture

Around for Ages
Chiropractic and acupuncture has been around for centuries, but many still have little knowledge of their techniques and benefits. Both chiropractic and acupuncture can care for a myriad of conditions and problems, leaving patients with positive results. Three common types of acupuncture are Dry Needling, Meridian and Battlefield.

Acupuncture

When people, who don’t know any better, hear the word “acupuncture”, they immediately think of needles sticking them and assume that it hurts. Acupuncture does utilize needles but very fine, hair-thin needles that normally are not even noticed when inserted. Depending on the technique (meridian acupuncture, for example), patients may experience nothing more than a light, pricking sensation during insertion. The needles are placed on specific areas of the body, known as acupuncture points. These points allow manipulation of chi (natural energy) in the body.

Acupuncture can help with disorders such as digestive, respiratory, and neurological and muscular disorders. It can also help with urinary, menstrual, reproductive, and physical problems related to stress and emotional conditions.

Dry Needle Acupuncture

Dry needle acupuncture is performed when the practitioner uses a small, solid filament needle to insert into the contracted, painful, and knotted muscle to create a twitch reflex. This twitch is both diagnostic and therapeutic and is the first step in breaking the pain cycle. The needle creates a controlled lesion in the muscle fibers that triggers the immune system to produce an inflammatory reaction that the body not only responds to locally, but all over. Dry needling may sometimes be accompanied by a brief, one-second ache or pain.

Meridian Acupuncture

Meridians are the fourteen major pathways that lead to different parts and organs of the body. Energy, also called chi, which is the vital force of all life, circulates through every part of the body, via meridians. When a misdirection or blockage occurs in the flow or balance of chi, pain, dysfunction, and ill health may occur. Meridian acupuncture stimulates points along the meridians, restoring the flow of chi and allowing the organs and bodily systems to work together as intended, thus repairing itself and maintaining its own health.

Battlefield Acupuncture

Battlefield acupuncture is a technique where small needles are placed on points of the ear. The procedure was introduced in 2008 as it was applied to wounded service members for pain. Results can be felt in as little as 5 minutes and last for several days.

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care is not limited to helping back pain. Chiropractic adjustments and alignments can relieve the spinal cord of pressure, helping the entire nervous system to function effectively. Three types of chiropractic care are relief care, corrective care, and maintenance care. The three types are obviously self-explanatory. Relief care provides you with relief from conditions. Corrective care corrects an issue — a pinch nerve or damaged spinal cord, for example.   Then, after all is better again, maintenance care will help keep it that way. Some benefits of chiropractic care are as follows:

• Chronic injuries
• Arthritis
• Stress and tension disorders
• Arm, wrist, shoulder, and elbow pain
• Leg, knee, foot, and ankle, pain,
• Back and neck conditions
• Headaches
• Bursitis

This article was intended to give you a generalization of chiropractic and acupuncture and some of their benefits. So now that you’ve had a peek, call your nearest chiropractic office and see how they can help you.

Reference

http://activespineandsport.com/trigger_point_dry_needling.php

http://www.acupuncture-meridians.com/#Acupoints_meridians.A

http://acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=31917