Acupuncture: Natural Pain Relief

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture prevents disease by targeting key points in the body through two means: the needle-less technique, and the more traditional Chinese technique using needles. Stimulation of these points causes the brain to release natural pain killers to the affected region of the body. Scientific studies indicate that acupuncture alleviates pain effectively without the use of prescription drugs, surgery, side effects or complications. The sterile disposable needles cause minimal or no discomfort.

Acupuncture: Growing in Popularity in Canada 

Acupuncture maps out the body using specific meridian points and lines. As Western science sees it, an acupuncture needle stimulates the sensory nerve in the muscle, which triggers electrical impulses to a spinal cord nerve. That nerve then sends signals to three places:

1. To the pituitary gland. The pituitary responds by delivering endorphins and the body's natural anti-inflammatory chemicals into the surrounding brain tissue and bloodstream. In the case of asthma, the anti-inflammatory chemicals would travel through the bloodstream to the lungs and help relieve the swelling and congestion in that organ. 
2. To the mid-brain. The mid-brain responds by discharging neurotransmitters, which are substances that block the body's pain pathways, easing the discomfort caused by the swollen airways.
3. To the nerve cells. The nerve cells respond by releasing endorphins, which are neurochemicals that naturally mute pain in the body, again easing the patient's discomfort.