Acupuncture is one of the most popular complementary or alternative therapies available. There are over 3,000 qualified acupuncturists registered in the UK, including many acupuncture practitioners in Sheffield. People have acupuncture in Sheffield to help with a wide range of conditions. As well as just to help them maintain balance in their body and their life.
What is acupuncture?
One of the oldest treatments in the world, modern acupuncture originates in China where it has been practiced for millennia. The oldest surviving direct evidence of acupuncture has been dated to around 100BC. This detailed an organised system suggesting that it was already an established and understood treatment. Many experts believe that the practice is at least 4,000 years old, although some point to evidence that might suggest it was practiced thousands of years before that and was already spread across the world.
Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into key points on the body. The points used will depend on the acupuncture practitioner’s diagnosis and the problem being treated. While sessions can last 60-90 minutes depending on the precise treatment, individual needles will not be in place for the whole session, perhaps only 15 minutes each.
How does it work?
The traditional theory behind acupuncture relates to Qi, the vital energy that flows in us all. This must be in balance for the body to be healthy, and illness and pain can be caused by imbalances. Acupuncture is performed at key points in the body’s qi network to ensure an even flow, so the body can heal itself.
Modern science suggests a theory that is remarkably similar. The needles help stimulate nerve endings which, in turn, cause the body to create endorphins. Endorphins are the body’s natural pain-reliever, helping to improve general wellbeing, as well as stimulating the nervous system to generate a positive body-wide response to acupuncture.
One of the most common questions is ‘does it hurt?’ In fact, the needles are very fine, much thinner than a syringe, and are only inserted far enough to stimulate the nerve-rich area just below the skin’s surface. Most people won’t even feel the needles being placed, but instead just experience the positive sensations that come with acupuncture.
What can it help with?
You can get acupuncture in Sheffield to help with a wide-range of conditions. Either alongside or instead of conventional medicine, and there is scientific evidence backing up its effectiveness.
Perhaps the most common use of acupuncture is for pain relief, with many using it to help address things like back pain which are often untreatable any other way. Other people find that acupuncture can help them with conditions ranging from insomnia to digestive problems. If you are looking for acupuncture in Rotherham or Sheffield then your acupuncture practitioner can advise what is the most appropriate treatment for you.
Who is it for?
Anyone can benefit from acupuncture, whether recovering from illness or injury, or to help with the stresses and strains of exercise or just daily life. Acupuncture in Sheffield is an effective and natural way to improve your health.
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