Acupuncture
Q&A I’ve seen pictures of people with acupuncture needles in them. Is that as painful as it looks? There may be a slight, brief prick as the needle enters the skin. As the treatment starts to take effect, people usually feel only numbness, or sometimes a slight aching, or tingling.
Acupuncture is an ancient healing art that has been used in China for 5,000 years. Now, people in other countries are using this treatment. Acupuncture is based on the belief that energies flow through channels under the skin. When an organ is diseased, the flow of energy is disturbed. Acupuncturists work from a map of the body showing key points along these channels. They believe that they can correct a disturbance by placing very fine needles in the body at one or more points. Acupuncture certainly seems to help many people, particularly those with arthritis, headaches, digestive problems, asthma, and hypertension. Modern scientists think it either stimulates the body to produce painkilling hormones or triggers pain-blocking mechanisms in the nerve pathways. The treatment is often used to relieve pain and can even be used instead of an anesthetic in some surgical operations and during childbirth. The patient remains conscious but does not experience any pain.
Do the needles make you bleed? Usually not, because the smooth, fine, supple acupuncture needles do not damage tissues. Points on the face and ear bleed occasionally because the skin there has a rich blood supply. How long does it take for the treatment to work? Acute complaints may improve immediately or within a week or two. Chronic conditions may take perhaps two or three months of weekly treatments, although some benefit should be noticed within a few weeks.
Acupuncture needles have an anesthetic effect powerful enough to allow surgery to take place while the patient is fully conscious. This woman appears perfectly relaxed as needles are inserted in her face.
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SEE ALSO
acupressure • analgesics • massage • nervous system