Acupuncture

Acupuncture involves the insertion of very fine needles through the skin and tissues at specific points on the body. There is no injection of any substance and the treatment itself causes minimal discomfort. This needling stimulates the body to produce endorphins which attach to opiate receptor sites found throughout the nervous system. Endorphins help block pain pathways resulting in relief of pain.

Acupuncture has served as a therapeutic modality for the following types of conditions:

• Control of pain

• Autonomic nervous system disorders

• Promotion of tissue regeneration and healing

• Surgical analgesia

The World Health Organization has identified the benefits of acupuncture in the treatment of a wide range of medical problems. An electrical current can be applied to these needles which is called electroacupuncture and this has been found useful in the treatment of pain. This evidence of the physiological effects of acupuncture has led to a deeper understanding of the complex neurophysiological events which take place when the body has to deal with pain.