The Chinese explanation is that channels of energy run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These energy channels, called meridians, are like rivers flowing through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissues. An obstruction in the movement of these energy rivers is like a dam that backs up the flow in one part of the body and restricts it in others.

The meridians can be influenced by needling the acupuncture points. The acupuncture needles unblock the obstructions and re-establish the regular flow through the meridians. Acupuncture treatments can therefore help the body's internal organs to correct imbalances in digestion, absorption and energy production activities. Acupuncture can also help in the circulation of energy through the meridians.

Many patients have been told to see a psychiatrist because no physiological evidence can find what is wrong with them by known methods, even though the patient insists that they are in tremendous pain or discomfort. Unbelievably, they are sometimes told to "live with it". Well, something can be done with acupuncture as it treats the cause as well as the symptoms of an illness.

Acupuncture can be used to treat the following:
Allergies, backache and leg pain, arthritis and joint problems, headache, menstrual and reproductive problems, weight disorders, digestive disorders, neurological and muscular disorders, respiratory disorders and urinary problems.

The number of treatments needed differs from person to person. For more complex or long standing conditions, two or three treatments a week for several months may be recommended. For acute problems usually fewer visits are required. For health maintenance one treatment a month may be all that is required.

Ok, so you are afraid of needles !
People experience acupuncture needles differently. Some patients feel no pain at all when the needles are inserted and don't even know it's happened, and others experience minimal pain. Once the needles are in place, there is no pain felt. Acupuncture needles are very thin and solid, and made from stainless steel. The point of the needle is smooth and the needles are solid not hollow like hypodermic needles decreasing the risk of skin bruising or skin irritation, and insertion through the skin is not as painful as injections or blood sampling.

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