Acupuncture refers to the insertion of fine, solid needles into any part of the body for pain relief, healing and general well being. It has been used by the Chinese people for over 3000 years. Western medical acupuncture is an adaptation of Chinese acupuncture using current knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathology, and the principles of evidence based medicine. Western Acupuncture is used to achieve pain relief via the stimulation of the nervous system, such as the brain and spinal cord to produce the body’s own pain relieving neuro-chemicals, such as endorphins for pain relief; melatonin to promote sleep and serotonin to promote well being. These neuro-chemicals assist the body's healing process and offer pain relief as a precursor for other manual or manipulative therapy or home exercise programme. The practitioner uses their anatomical knowledge of the body to select acupuncture points that stimulate nerve endings which will help to relieve pain and promote healing. Sometimes a small electrical impulse may be applied to the needles (electro-acupuncture) to further stimulate the muscle fibres. |