Acupuncture Treatment in Ames

Acupuncture Treatment

Talk to Dr. Bridges about acupuncture treatment as it may be the solution you’ve been searching for.

What Is Acupuncture?

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) sees health as based on harmony between all parts of an individual’s life—mind, body, and spirit; every person is considered unique with their own signature disharmony or imbalance.

Acupuncture addresses disharmony or imbalance by stimulating specific points along 14 pathways called meridians that circulate vital energy (chi). The word “acupuncture” means “to prick with a,” but modern-day acupuncturists most often use fine needles, laser therapy, magnets, or electrical stimulation.

Acupuncture can serve as an alternative and/or complement to medical care like surgery and prescription drugs. The same holds true for those who were taught that it’s based on “old wives’ tales.”

Acupuncture is now used as an adjunct treatment alongside mainstream Western medical practices such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy; because it enhances recovery from surgery; helps to reduce chronic pain; improves immunity by stimulating the release of endorphins (natural painkillers); speeds healing

What are the benefits of acupuncture?

1. Stimulates the immune system and helps it learn to fight off diseases more effectively;
2. Relieves many forms of chronic pain;
3. Many people report relief from insomnia and other sleep problems with acupuncture treatments;
4. Helps relieve anxiety and depression.

How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture treatment is done through needling or “inserting thin, solid needles into specific points on the body. These points are connected to the nervous system via the meridians or channels”.

Scientific research proves that acupuncture has numerous health benefits like:

• Relieving pain and helping with muscle relaxation
• Easing anxiety, stress, and depression
• Reducing nausea
• Boosting immunity and metabolism
• Increasing blood circulation to decrease skin damage and improve cell regeneration

Does acupuncture hurt?

Some people say it feels like a prick while others say that they don’t feel anything.

Which conditions respond well to acupuncture?

Depression, insomnia, and infertility are known to respond well to acupuncture. Other conditions that have shown positive results include addiction treatment and relief from chronic pain.

It treats depression, anxiety, insomnia, menopause, weight control, infertility, pediatric & senior care, addictions, allergies, and pain control.

Recent Research About Acupuncture

Acupuncture for Migraines

Migraine and headache disorders affect more than 37 million Americans, and an even greater number suffer from some form of tension-type headache. These conditions frequently result in missed workdays and reduced productivity at home and at school. However, acupuncture can help reduce the frequency and severity of migraine or chronic headaches.

Additionally, the same studies show acupuncture’s positive effects on depression often seen with such illnesses as well as alleviating allergy symptoms.

Research suggests that involving yourself with a regular acupuncture treatment plan can significantly decrease your risk of experiencing frequent migraine or headache attacks by more than half.

Acupuncture for Depression

In a randomized clinical trial from the Journal of Affective Disorders, 60 adults with major depression were divided into three groups. One group was administered electroacupuncture “twice a week for 4 weeks” Another group was administered fluoxetine (Prozac) at a dose of 10mg/d “daily for 4 weeks.” The last group received both treatments simultaneously.

The conclusion reached by the researchers found that acupuncture showed as much improvement as drug therapy after four weeks. At 8 weeks, though, acupuncture-treated patients reported significantly higher improvements in their symptoms than those taking medication only.

A follow-up study conducted by the same research team confirmed those results and proved acupuncture to be an effective treatment for mild to moderate depression.

Acupuncture & Anxiety

A clinical study published in the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies found that acupuncture was an effective treatment for anxiety. Researchers administered 30 minutes of electroacupuncture to 80 participants with anxiety disorders, each twice a week over the course of 8 weeks. At week 4, all patients reported “significantly reduced” symptoms of anxiety compared to before the start of treatment. By week 8, approximately two-thirds (63%) were free from their symptoms entirely. The researchers concluded that these results showed acupuncture to be “a potentially effective noninvasive modality for relieving mild to moderate levels of generalized anxiety.”

Acupuncture for Hypertension

Treating hypertension with acupuncture has been around for a very long time. It was first recorded in the book Huangdi Neijing Lingshu Jing, which means “emperor’s classic of internal medicine”. The text lists various approaches to alleviate high blood pressure, including applying needles to specific acupoints.

One of the main goals of acupuncture is to regulate the flow of energy throughout the body. By regulating the flow, you can also help balance your blood pressure. On top of that, there are many other reasons why people choose acupuncture as a form of treatment for hypertension.

Acupuncture can be used as both a primary or secondary treatment for hypertension. Someone with mild high blood pressure might not need any medications at all and choose this method instead.

Sometimes doctors will recommend acupuncture along with other medications to help bring down blood pressure even further so it doesn’t have to rely solely on drugs to control it anymore. The important part is that you talk to your doctor about what treatment course would work best for you.

Acupuncture for Fibromyalgia

Karen’s treatment plan started with a diagnostic assessment, which revealed that her condition was caused by an imbalance in her Liver and Kidney energy systems. The acupuncturist designed acupuncture treatments to treat Karen’s specific conditions using various methods.

Karen reported a significant reduction in pain after 5 weekly sessions of acupuncture. Acupuncture has been known to have positive effects on many conditions, including Fibromyalgia and chronic pain.

Acupuncture for Women’s Reproductive Health
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) recently completed an exploration into acupuncture’s effect on women trying to become pregnant. It was found that there is significant evidence showing it can help improve fertility in both the general population and among women who have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

However, further research is still needed due to certain limitations of the study. More specifically, studies involving more participants are necessary for drawing stronger conclusions. Even with these implications, this study shows promise for future research on how acupuncture may work to aid infertility among some women.

Acupuncture for Insomnia

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that affects as many as 50 million Americans each year, resulting in restless nights and a lack of energy during the following days. However, effective treatments exist including acupuncture. A study conducted by the UCLA School of Medicine and published in Sleep found significant improvements among those who had received acupuncture therapy for their insomnia: these individuals slept an average of 45 minutes longer than those who did not receive acupuncture.

Many acupuncturists also claim that acupuncture can help to alleviate secondary symptoms associated with insomnia such as depression and anxiety; thus leading to overall more restful sleep patterns.

Acupuncture & Cravings

Food cravings are responsible for numerous weight-related issues such as obesity and eating disorders. According to research published by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, acupuncture can help to reduce cravings through the connections made between our stomachs, digestive systems, and brains.

After receiving acupuncture therapy, participants in this study reported significantly fewer food cravings as well as greater satisfaction with their diets.

In addition to providing relief from cravings, studies have shown that acupuncture is effective at reducing snack-related snacking as well as increasing fullness after meals which leads to decreased caloric intake throughout the day. In fact, you can find many weight loss centers using acupuncture therapies for these very purposes.

Acupuncture & Asthma

Asthma is one of the most common diseases in North America. It affects an estimated 7 million people, including 5 million children under 18 years old.

If you are suffering from asthma, I can use acupuncture to target your specific needs and help you regulate your immune system response to allergens or environmental triggers. This will reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks, as well as improve their management of acute episodes.

Asthma can cause limited activity due to shortness of breath during physical exertion which results in fatigue and discomfort at rest. These symptoms can be reversed with treatment that reduces inflammation, restores the structural integrity of lung tissue, relieves respiratory muscle spasms, and relaxes airway muscles all while increasing circulation to provide oxygen-rich blood to the lungs.

Talk to Dr. Bridges about acupuncture treatment as it may be the solution you’ve been searching for.