Here at Rose City Wellness, one of our core beliefs is that you shouldn’t seek health care exclusively when you aren’t feeling well. To live a fulfilled life requires us to thrive! We begin to thrive when we seek optimal health. Not only does this help to prevent chronic illness, but it allows you to strive towards feeling your very best every single day.
One health care modality that can positively impact your sense of well-being is the practice of acupuncture. Using time-tested techniques, an acupuncturist can assist with the management of optimal health and vitality. In this blog, we’re going to break down what an acupuncturist does, as well as detail three key benefits of acupuncture therapy.
Let’s get started!
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a practice derived from the teachings of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Based on these teachings, your body requires the free flow of “qi” (pronounced “chee”) to maintain good health. When your qi is blocked, this can lead to chronic illness and mental health disturbances.
Acupuncture involves the use of super-thin needles being gently and methodically inserted into the skin, along acupuncture points throughout the body. The strategic placement of these needles is an evidence-based strategy for restoring the energy balance within your body. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this energy restoration process is the result of the body’s “meridian systems” being restored to their optimal energy flow state.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, you might be wondering what types of common issues a registered acupuncturist can help you resolve.
Mental Health and Stress
In today’s frantic pace, many people are looking for sound options for reducing stress and prioritizing their mental health. This is as true in the fast-paced Okanagan Valley as it is in a large city! We’re over-connected to technology and under-connected to our very own vitality.
But, it doesn’t need to be this way!
An acupuncturist is uniquely equipped to help with the promotion of your mental health and the gradual, holistic reduction of your stress. By safely restoring the proper flow of energy throughout the body, relief can be found and you can begin to take charge of your own emotional and psychological health.
Your acupuncturist can help you find relief from the following emotional afflictions:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Stress
- Emotional spikes caused by hormonal imbalances
Chronic Pain
In Canada, one in five people is currently living with chronic pain. Chronic pain is defined by any consistent physical pain that lasts longer than three months in duration.
Unfortunately, the reality is that most people feel that their only reasonable course of action revolves around the use of pharmaceutical prescriptions. Many of these people indeed require these medications and while we do believe that you should trust your doctor in their informed decision-making, an alternative therapy such as acupuncture can greatly benefit those living with these conditions.
The use of the hair-thin, sterile needles in acupuncture ensures that relief can be realized with minimal side-effects. Many patients are fascinated with the results of this modality because it is such a stark contrast to most conventional forms of treatment in the western world today.
Restoring the beneficial flow of qi in the body can assist in the lessening of the following types of chronic pain:
- Chronic musculoskeletal pain
- Pain resulting from cancer treatment therapies
- Chronic headaches and migraines
- Back/neck pain
- Digestive conditions
- And much more.
Acute Pain
Sometimes, pain is not always the result of a chronic illness or condition. Acute pain generally comes on suddenly and is the result of something specific.
Let’s take you through an example. In our home town of Vernon, BC, there is an abundance of beautiful trail networks enjoyed by mountain bikers, trail runners, walkers and those that enjoy snowshoeing. Occasionally, a biker may sustain an injury by falling on the trail because of a slippery section. In doing so, the patient complains of knee pain. While many forms of knee pain are the result of overtraining or physical body imbalances, in this case, it is surely due to the impact of the knee on the hard ground. This is a classic example of acute pain, and it often requires more than just rest to be remedied.
Acupuncture is a therapy that can be very beneficial for many different types of acute pain. Generally, this therapy is used in conjunction with other therapies, such as chiropractic therapy or physiotherapy. Using acupuncture techniques, the powerful restoration of energy in the body serves to increase the chances of a full, swift recovery. Acupuncture can be helpful for the following type of acute pain:
- Sports/recreation injuries
- Accidental falls or other related injuries
- Short-term medication side effects
- Surgery recovery
- And more
Conclusion
As outlined, acupuncture is a tremendously helpful technique for a wide variety of ailments, both mild to severe. Logan, our Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner, is always willing to sit down with you to assess your current health and discuss how he can help. We also have our Naturopathic Doctor, Susan, who can conduct acupuncture treatments as part of a broad approach to your health and wellness. We are fellow Okanagan residents that are always willing to help.
We all desire to live our very best life. At Rose City Wellness, our mission is to help you thrive. You no longer need to feel captive to your health issues because we’re well-equipped to offer a holistic, evidence-based approach to your optimal health. Of course, we’re also dedicated to helping those that desire relief from current ailments. Our team strives to lead you to great health using a wide variety of treatment methods.
To book an acupuncture consultation at our Vernon, BC location, please visit our booking area HERE. Using this method, you can also request a consultation with any other of our skilled practitioners.
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