Acupuncture has been used for well over three thousand years in China. If you visited China today you would often see it used alongside other Chinese and Western Medical treatments in modern technologically advanced Chinese hospitals and clinics.
It is one of the safest forms of medicine.
The occassional side effect is usually only minor (perhaps a bruise); whereas everyone is aware of the multitude of side effects, many serious and some deadly that can come from the western medical system. From both short and long term drug side effects to mishaps in hospitals, operations and medical procedures.
It is one of the safest forms of medicine.
The occassional side effect is usually only minor (perhaps a bruise); whereas everyone is aware of the multitude of side effects, many serious and some deadly that can come from the western medical system. From both short and long term drug side effects to mishaps in hospitals, operations and medical procedures.
When a properly qualified acupuncturist gives you an acupunture treatment there is very little that can go wrong.
The modern disposable needles used in Acupuncture are one hundred per cent sterile. They are only used once and then disposed of. There is no possible chance of any infection from them.
Unlike large western needles used in injections, these are ultra-fine, often thinner than a strand of hair. They are super sharp; thus when used by a competent professional, they will ensure a very quick and smooth pain free entry into the body.
Modern quality needles are also super strong and flexible. They will not break when they are inserted. As an experiment, I tried to break a needle. I had to sharply bend and twist it over one hundred times before it became close to breaking.
The modern disposable needles used in Acupuncture are one hundred per cent sterile. They are only used once and then disposed of. There is no possible chance of any infection from them.
Unlike large western needles used in injections, these are ultra-fine, often thinner than a strand of hair. They are super sharp; thus when used by a competent professional, they will ensure a very quick and smooth pain free entry into the body.
Modern quality needles are also super strong and flexible. They will not break when they are inserted. As an experiment, I tried to break a needle. I had to sharply bend and twist it over one hundred times before it became close to breaking.
The other minor negative side effects you may get from treatment are ...
Bruising - Occassionally you may get a little bruise from treatments.
Temporary bleeding - Again, occassionally after removing a needle an acupuncture point may bleed. The acupuncturist will simply place a sterile cotton swab down on to the point and press on it. After about thirty seconds the bleeding will stop.
Tiredness - Acupuncture does sometimes (depending on what you are being treated for) draw energy from the brain and other parts of the body into the area that needs to be healed. This can lead to a little bit of tiredness. However, this is often a bonus, as my patients tell me that their busy minds calm down and that they sleep better after getting a treatment.
Bruising - Occassionally you may get a little bruise from treatments.
Temporary bleeding - Again, occassionally after removing a needle an acupuncture point may bleed. The acupuncturist will simply place a sterile cotton swab down on to the point and press on it. After about thirty seconds the bleeding will stop.
Tiredness - Acupuncture does sometimes (depending on what you are being treated for) draw energy from the brain and other parts of the body into the area that needs to be healed. This can lead to a little bit of tiredness. However, this is often a bonus, as my patients tell me that their busy minds calm down and that they sleep better after getting a treatment.
So, there is very lttle chance of side effects when receiving acupuncture from fully qualified and registered acupuncturists.
However, when treatments are given by improperly trained and unregistered practitioners, then the results can be quite harmful.
For example, someone with inadequate training may use nonsterile needles which can cause infections.
Through lack of knowledge, they may puncture organs which can lead to serious and even life threatening harm.
They may place needles in the wrong locations and may needle at the wrong depths, leading to incidents such as central nervous system injuries.
So, always make sure you go to a fully qualified and skilled acupuncturist for your treatment.
You can find a professional acupuncturist or check to see if you are attending one by following these guidelines ...
Firstly start with their qualifications, make sure they come from legitimate Chinese Medicine colleges.
Practitioners from other fields of therapy are often now claiming to be acupuncturists, but they are not qualified in acupuncture or Chinese Medicine. It takes years of training to become proficient in using needles safely and painlessly. Most of these other therapists are not properly skilled or fully trained in needling techniques nor in Chinese Medical Theories, so you are taking a chance by attending them for any Acupuncture style treatment. These therapists may have done as little as three months of acupuncture study. This produces a very inferior and illegitimate quality of acupuncture which often causes painful and unproductive treatments for the patient. It may even cause long term damage.
Unfortunately some of these other therapists through bad treatments have caused damage to the good reputation of legitimate Chinese Medical practitioners. So please do look for someone who has the proper qualifications in Chinese Medicine and who has studied acupuncture for a minimum of three years.
Then check to see if they are part of a register. There may be several registers in your country; but a quick search on Google usually shows the main ones.
The really passionate people who love Chinese Medicine also tend to make the best practitioners. A very good reflection of their keen interest is shown if they have qualifed in several areas of Chinese Medicine. There are four main branches - Chinese Herbalism, Tui Na Medical Massage, Medical QiGong and Acupuncture. So it is often good to look for someone qualified in more than one of these fields of practice.
Finally, in your sessions be sure to ask plenty of questions. If your practitioner can answer them with ease in a sensible and logical way then usually you will have found a good one who understands Chinese Medicine well.
However, when treatments are given by improperly trained and unregistered practitioners, then the results can be quite harmful.
For example, someone with inadequate training may use nonsterile needles which can cause infections.
Through lack of knowledge, they may puncture organs which can lead to serious and even life threatening harm.
They may place needles in the wrong locations and may needle at the wrong depths, leading to incidents such as central nervous system injuries.
So, always make sure you go to a fully qualified and skilled acupuncturist for your treatment.
You can find a professional acupuncturist or check to see if you are attending one by following these guidelines ...
Firstly start with their qualifications, make sure they come from legitimate Chinese Medicine colleges.
Practitioners from other fields of therapy are often now claiming to be acupuncturists, but they are not qualified in acupuncture or Chinese Medicine. It takes years of training to become proficient in using needles safely and painlessly. Most of these other therapists are not properly skilled or fully trained in needling techniques nor in Chinese Medical Theories, so you are taking a chance by attending them for any Acupuncture style treatment. These therapists may have done as little as three months of acupuncture study. This produces a very inferior and illegitimate quality of acupuncture which often causes painful and unproductive treatments for the patient. It may even cause long term damage.
Unfortunately some of these other therapists through bad treatments have caused damage to the good reputation of legitimate Chinese Medical practitioners. So please do look for someone who has the proper qualifications in Chinese Medicine and who has studied acupuncture for a minimum of three years.
Then check to see if they are part of a register. There may be several registers in your country; but a quick search on Google usually shows the main ones.
The really passionate people who love Chinese Medicine also tend to make the best practitioners. A very good reflection of their keen interest is shown if they have qualifed in several areas of Chinese Medicine. There are four main branches - Chinese Herbalism, Tui Na Medical Massage, Medical QiGong and Acupuncture. So it is often good to look for someone qualified in more than one of these fields of practice.
Finally, in your sessions be sure to ask plenty of questions. If your practitioner can answer them with ease in a sensible and logical way then usually you will have found a good one who understands Chinese Medicine well.
