| Acupuncture and Acupressure are used to treat a variety of ailments. Some of the most common are: |
- Allergies
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Backache
- Bronchitis
- Chest Pain
- Constipation
- Depression
- Dizziness
- Facial Paralysis Gastritis
- Hay Fever
- Frequent Urination
- Headaches
- Hearing Loss
- Hot Flashes
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- Hypertension
- Indigestion
- Insomnia
- Knee Problems
- Menopause
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Nausea
- Obesity
- Numbness
- Addiction
- Stroke
- Sexual Impotence
- Pain Control
- Stress
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese therapy that has been used for centuries. Acupuncture is often used to relieve pain. It is based on the theory that there is energy, called chi or qi, flowing through your body. Chi is thought to flow along energy pathways called meridians. If the flow of chi is blocked or unbalanced at any point on a pathway, theoretically it may result in illness. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners believe acupuncture unblocks and balances the flow of chi to restore health. Western medicine practitioners who have studied acupuncture theorize that acupuncture reduces pain through biological mechanisms, perhaps involving opioid peptides and stimulation of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, or changes in neurotransmitters, hormones, or the immune function.
Traditional Chinese acupuncture usually is done by inserting very thin needles into the skin at certain points on the body to stimulate energy flow along the body's energy pathways (meridians). Other types of acupuncture may use heat, pressure, or mild electrical current to stimulate energy flow along these meridians.
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| What is acupuncture used for? |
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Acupuncture is used to relieve pain and treat certain health conditions. It may be used alone or as part of a treatment program. Promising results have been found for the use of acupuncture in treating nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy and postsurgery pain.1 Acupuncture may be useful for other conditions such as addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma.
Acupuncture is a valuable treatment for certain health conditions and merits further use and study.
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In general, acupuncture is a safe treatment when done by a certified acupuncturist. You may want to see an acupuncturist who is licensed by the state regulatory board. A state license ensures that the acupuncturist has a certain level of training and follows certain practice guidelines.
There may be a slight risk of infection from nonsterilized needles. However, most needles used today are disposed of after one use. Talk with your doctor if you have other questions about the safety of acupuncture.
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The essence of Chinese herbal medicine lies in the skill of the practitioner in modifying and fine tuning herbal formula in order to match the characteristics and variations in a patient's disharmony-in the same way that an acupuncturist selects an appropriate set of points on the body.
There are few problems that cannot be helped by Chinese herbalism, although there are some contraindications. With herbal medicine, more attention needs to be paid to situations where caution must be exercised and/or contraindications noted. The experienced herbal practitioner has to bear in mind the following points:
- Certain herbs are contraindicated in pregnancy.
- Certain herbs are toxic.
- Herbs may be totally contraindicated in patients who have a liver function problem. Liver function tests are sometimes performed as a matter of course before prescribing.
- Some patients will not use herbs of animal origin.
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For additional information regarding our services or to schedule an appointment,
please call Dr. Jun at 212-967-3301 |
