10 Reasons to Try Acupuncture in 2024
Acupuncture is growing in popularity, and for good reason. It can help with a wide range of health issues without the side effects of prescription medication.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have been used for thousands of years as a standalone medical system. Most people in the U.S. seek acupuncture treatments for pain related conditions, but it can also help with the symptoms associated with many other health issues.
The Acupuncture Evidence Project cites research that shows acupuncture can potentially treat symptoms of over 100 health issues. The World Health Organization also lists a number of conditions that acupuncture can treat that is supported by research.
There are many styles of acupuncture that each work better for treating different types of symptoms and conditions.
Here are 10 reasons you should consider giving acupuncture a try this year, with links to research and some of our previous blog posts:
1) It can help reduce pain
The American Pain Society endorses acupuncture, saying that it “has a clinically relevant effect on chronic pain that persists over time.”
Acupuncture is also recommended by the American Board of Physician Specialties website as a solution for pain management and replacement for opioid pain medications.
Pain is the most common reason that people seek acupuncture treatments. Low back, upper back, neck, hip, shoulder, and knee pain make up the bulk of cases that many acupuncturists see. Acupuncture helps relieve pain by releasing endorphins, loosening tight muscles, reducing inflammation, and improving circulation.
Previous Blog Posts:
2) It can help reduce stress and anxiety
Acupuncture has been shown to help reduce stress and anxiety. One study showed that the stress reduction benefits persisted for several months after the course of acupuncture treatment ended.
Acupuncture helps balance the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system by activating neurotransmitters and sending signals to the brain and nervous system.
Previous Blog Posts:
3) It can help reduce exercise soreness and prevent injuries
Acupuncture is being utilized by more and more professional and amateur athletes. Athletes from the NFL and NBA have used acupuncture to help with injury recovery and pain management. Acupuncture was offered to athletes in the at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Acupuncture using dry needling and trigger point release techniques is especially effective for reducing muscle soreness and releasing tight muscles from overuse and injury.
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4) It can help reduce inflammation in the body
Acupuncture can help reduce inflammation in the body by altering physiological processes related to the body’s natural inflammatory processes.
Previous Blog Posts:
5) It can help promote more restful sleep
Acupuncture can help a number of sleep conditions by balancing the nervous system and reducing stress which helps promote better sleep. Studies show it can work as well as sleep medications or can help enhance their effects so that less is needed.
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6) It can help with a wide range of digestive issues
Acupuncture has been used to treat digestive issues for many centuries. One way it has been shown to work is by improving gastrointestinal motility which promotes digestion.
Other ways it helps is by regulating the body’s natural inflammatory process and regulating the nervous system, which can affect digestion when they are not functioning optimally.
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7) It can help with women’s health issues
Acupuncture can help treat a wide variety of women’s health issues. A 2014 review in the International Journal of Women’s Health found that acupuncture may help regulate the menstrual cycle, increase uterine blood flow, improve ovulation, and reduce menstrual pain.
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8) It can help manage and reduce headaches
A 2016 review published by the American Headache Society found that acupuncture can be part of a treatment plan for people suffering from migraines, tension type headaches, and other types of chronic headaches.
Another 2016 Cochrane review showed that “adding acupuncture to routine care or treatment of acute headaches reduces the frequency of headaches in the short term (three months).”
Previous Blog Posts:
9) It can help reduce symptoms of allergies
A 2013 study found that acupuncture helped with allergic rhinitis symptoms by increasing quality of life and reducing inflammatory antibodies.
Another 2015 study published in the American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy found that acupuncture significantly reduced nasal symptoms scored.
Previous Blog Posts:
10) It can help lower blood pressure
A 2019 review discusses how Chinese medicine can help treat hypertension. It mentions that acupuncture can help lower blood pressure by regulating the nervous system which affects heart rate and blood flow in the body.
One 2014 study showed that acupuncture further reduced blood pressure in patients taking antihypertension medications.
Lastly, a 2016 study highlighted that acupuncture can activate parts of the brain that are closely related to controlling blood pressure.