Electro-acupuncture

Benefits of Electro-acupuncture

Electro-acupuncture can be used as part of an approach to manage pain and inflammation alongside conventional medicine. Electro-acupuncture can be used to produce a stronger stimulus, if desired, without causing tissue damage.

Typical conditions may include musculoskeletal or sports injuries to every day aches and pains, stresses and strains. Amongst other things, electro-acupuncture is considered a beneficial addition to help maintain and support health and well-being thereby promoting a balanced lifestyle which may prevent the likelihood of succumbing to everyday illness and effects of modern-day stress.

How it works

There are approximately over 500 acupuncture points on the body. These points are places on your body that are thought to affect the way that our organs and tissues function.

Electro-acupuncture is the procedure where very fine sterile needles are inserted onto the body at various acupuncture points by means of hand manipulation. An electrode is then attached to the sterile needles via a base unit to provide continued stimulation to help restore the natural balance of Yin and Yang by freeing our life energy (also referred to as Chi, Qi or Ki). According to this principle, our health is affected when this energy stops flowing freely. Stimulation by elecro-acupuncture at various points on the body helps to restore the healthy flow of energy in the body thereby helping to restore the body’s equilibrium.

The combinations of different acupuncture points are used to treat different conditions.  The points are generally selected in pairs for electrical pulse stimulation, with 1-3 pairs at one time.  Usually the pairs are placed on the same side of the body, normally 10-12 acupuncture points are used during an electro-acupuncture treatment.

Patients may feel a sensation of tingling when the needles are inserted and attached to the electrode, however it should not feel painful.  Patients often notice an improved sense of well-being after treatment.

The Science

Medical research supports its use, demonstrating an influence on centres in the brain and spinal cord which are responsible for pain relief. A possible scientific explanation for electro-acupuncture is that the insertion of needles attached to an electrode via a base unit stimulates deep sensory nerves and the bioelectrical potentials in the body to produce natural pain relieving chemicals (endorphins) and other substances. These substances, once released in the body, can help with pain relief and assist the body to heal itself.

The (WHO) recommends acupuncture

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends acupuncture as an effective treatment for over forty medical problem’s including allergies, respiratory conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, gynecological problems, nervous conditions, and disorders of the eyes, nose and throat, and childhood illnesses, among others.

 

Click on the links below for more information on:-

• History of Electro-acupuncture

• Complementary Holistic Healthcare Therapy

• Complementary Therapy In The Palliative Care Setting

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We do not perform electro-acupuncture here at our clinic.