Accelerate Health

Acupuncture has been employed as a health care modality for over 3,000 years. Modern science has begun to understand this ancient medicine with support of various new studies conducted by leading medical research facilities across the world. Acupuncture is being more widely accepted and validated as an effective form of health care. Current research related to acupuncture include studies in the following areas:

IVF
Morning Sickness
Insomnia
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Gastritis
Depression
Shoulder Pain
Blood Pressure
Electro-Acupuncture & Immune Function (During Chemotherapy)
Fibromyalgia
Asthma
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Osteoarthritis
Allergic Rhinitis

The National Institute of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recognize acupuncture to be effective in the treatment of over 50 common conditions such as:

Addiction
Bronchitis
Common Cold
Depression
Emotional Disorders
Fertility
Headache
Indigestion
Low Back Pain
Menopause
PMS
Sciatica
Stress
Trigeminal Neuralgia
and many, many more…

The theories of acupuncture’s mechanism of efficacy are five-fold.

First,the Neurotransmitter Theory: The theory that acupuncture affects higher brain areas, stimulating the secretion of beta-endorphines and enkephalines in the brain and spinal cord. The release of neurotransmittera influences the immune system and the antinocioceptive system.

Second, The Autonomic Nervous System Theory: Acupuncture stimulates the release of norepinepherine, acetylcholine and several types of opioids, affecting changes in their turnover rate, normalizing the autonomic nervous system, and reducing pain.

Third, The Vascular-interstitial Theory: Acupuncture effects the electrical system of the body by creating or enhancing closed-circuit transport in tissues. This facilitates healing by allowing the transfer of material and electrical energy between normal and injured tissues.

Fourth, The Blood Chemistry Theory: Acupuncture affects the blood concentrations of triglycerides, cholesterol, and phospholipids, suggesting that acupuncture can both raise and diminish peripheral blood components, thereby regulating the body toward homeostasis.

Fifth, the Gate-Control Theory: Acupuncture activates non-nocioceptive receptors that inhibit the transmission of nocioceptive signals in the dorsal horn, “gating out” painful stimulii.

Getting to the Point:

During the initial exam a full health history is taken. Questions are asked regarding health, symptoms and lifestyle. An appropriate exam is conducted, including pulse and tongue diagnosis. Gathering this information enables the practitioner to effectively diagnose and detect specific imbalances that may contribute to the presented concern.

Thin, sterile, stainless steel needles are inserted into specific points along meridians (the energy pathways) in order to disperse blockage and mobilize the body’s natural response. The needles are single-use only and disposed of in medical grade sharps containers.

Acupuncture is compatible with other systems of health care. We are happy to work in conjunction with you and other health care practitioners. Please let us know what other systems or medications you are currently using so we may integrate our
efforts.

The Education

Program specifics vary between institutions but all programs from accredited Traditional Chinese Medicine Schools are Master’s level Science degrees that take 3-4 years to complete. Following graduation from an accredited program, each practitioner must pass five different sections of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture (NCCAOM) exams to be fully awarded the ability to practice both Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology. In addition to national exams, the practitioner must also qualify for state licensure.

If you have any questions about acupuncture please Contact Us for a complimentary consultation with Mike Allen, L.Ac.

Additional research information for this page was provided by Acupuncture Media Works