How does Acupuncture Work, Part 1: Pain

By Tona Marquez on Dec 26, 2014 at 04:42 PM in Santa Barbara Alternative Healing

Acupuncture has been used for thousands upon thousands of years simply because it works well for a large majority of people to ease pain and illness. At its roots, acupuncture is a simple and yet profound healing tool. Acupuncture is being utilized by more and more Americans everyday.  Many feel better after getting acupuncture but also wonder why acupuncture works.

How does acupuncture work?

Let's start by simply saying acupuncture stimulates the body into healing action. The source of stimulation for acupuncture comes from the hair thin acupuncture needles that are inserted through the skin into the connective tissues (muscles, tendons, or ligaments) found below the skin. Patients describe the sensation of acupuncture stimulation in a variety of ways. Here are a few ways patients describe the sensation: a deep ache, a mild cramp, like pressure on a bruise, a fuzzy warmth, a quick zing or sting.

Our brains and glands react to acupuncture stimulation and start a chain reaction of events that put our whole body into healing action. Many people use acupuncture to help ease pain. Acupuncture gets its pain relieveing affects from endogenous opiate release. Ok big words but endogenous simply mean "your body make it"; opiate means stuff that takes away pain, and release doesn't need much explaination. So endogenous opiate release means acupuncture stimulates your body to release stuff your-body-makes that takes away pain.

The more fequently you get acupuncture the better and more efficient your body gets at releasing stuff your-body-makes to take away pain. Pain also gets in the way of your body's ability to heal what's wrong. Pain comes along with swelling, inflamation, stiffness, and reduced range of movement. As your pain decreases so does all that swelling, inflamation, stiffness and reduced range of movement so your body can actually heal what's wrong.

If you want to give acupuncture a try all you have to do is show up a few times to give your body a chance to experience the healing changes acupuncture can provide.  Feeling ready Santa Barbara?  Book Online Today