Ten Things you Need to know About Acupuncture

 Patients often hear the word Acupuncture and envisage a painful or invasive treatment – after all, the human brain is programmed to focus on the parts of a word we recognise, and ‘puncture’ is something we can all relate to.

However, acupuncture is nothing to be afraid of. In fact, it is one of the most widely recognised forms of medicine across the globe, with our team of expert physiotherapists developing Empire Physiotherapy’s acupuncture services in Slough to treat and manage specific pain. So, without further ado, here’s ten things you need to know about acupuncture.

Forget the Myths

The origins of Acupuncture as it works today are not entirely clear, though it is understood that the art of acupuncture was first used thousands of years ago as part of Chinese wellness rituals.

Acupuncture as we know it is a far more recent development however, with modern medical knowledge constantly evolving in line with scientific breakthroughs.

It gives you a similar feeling to being on a high

The use of the needles in acupuncture releases endorphins into the body, leaving you feeling on a high and with a very positive feeling. This is similar to when you exercise, and as specialist sports physiotherapists this is a feeling we seek to replicate through or treatment programmes.

It is not necessarily scientific

Acupuncture works in many cases, but all the scientific information you’ll be given by many therapists is inaccurate. In short, we don’t really know exactly how it works in every case. Therapists can often throw technical terminology at patients, knowing it won’t be understood – unfortunately this is the case in many treatments of acupuncture, and some clinics will charge very highly for what they claim is a deep scientific treatment. Here in Slough our acupuncture service is affordable, and we use plain language for the benefit of all our patients.

It is not the be-all and end-all of recovery

Many people will say they had acupuncture and their pain went away. These two things are not, however, necessarily linked, and it is just as likely that the pain was going to go away all by itself anyway.

It can sometimes be quite dangerous

Ensuring that you are seeing an expert when you attend an acupuncture appointment is important. Done incorrectly, sticking needles into the body can be dangerous and can put you at risk of infection and even internal bleeding. Always make sure you see a specialist who has been trained, like our Empire Team based in Slough.

It can promote weight loss

This is not the reason why acupuncture is used across the medical profession, but weight loss is a side effect that has been noted across a number of cases – likely due to an effect it can have on your appetite rather than the actual fat storage in your body.

It won’t leave scars

If, like we suggest, you seek the treatment from an expert team, you will not be left with any permanent scars from your acupuncture. Though the needles may initially draw blood, the marks will heal rapidly – along with any bruising.

And if that worries you… it doesn’t hurt either

The needles used in acupuncture are so small and thin that many patients don’t even feel them piercing the skin, never mind any pain. Acupuncture is intended to improve your pain, not make it worse.

It can help prevent acne

Anything that deals with inflammation under the skin is a positive benefit for anyone, and the fact that acupuncture reduces inflammation and breakouts is one of its positive side effects. In serious acne cases, acupuncture may be recommended as a supplementary treatment although this will be determined by an expert on a case by case basis.

The number of sessions can vary

Here at Empire Physiotherapy, our doors in Slough are always open to acupuncture patients – but that doesn’t mean we will continue to invite you in for therapy once the treatment has been complete. While some patients can need multiple sessions to correct their pain, others can reap benefits from just one or two sessions. Whatever the case, we will never invite you or charge you for more sessions than you need.