Natural Therapies Australia

Acupuncture is one of the most popular forms of natural medicine and alternative treatment. Acupuncture is the process of manipulating and inserting needles into certain points and parts of the body in order to relieve pain or for other health conditions for therapeutic purposes. The earliest record of acupuncture has been noted in the “Records of the Grand Historian”, an ancient Chinese text dating back to 2600 BC. Since the late 1990’s, this therapeutic practice has been the focus of scientific research to understand the effectiveness or lack thereof of the practice to relieve certain health conditions. Various institutions and research organizations including the American Medical Association and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative medicine in the United States have commented on the efficacy of the treatment. Some studies have shown that acupuncture reduces nausea post operative surgery, is effective in treating back and neck pain amongst many other health conditions. A recent systematic review of clinical trials by Scotty and Deare (2006) looked at the efficacy of acupuncture in treating migraines found that

“The current evidence suggests that acupuncture is significantly superior to waiting list, at least as good as sham acupuncture, and of comparable efficiency to several proven drug therapies for the treatment and prevention of migraine.”

What is clear is that acupuncture is safe provided it’s administered by a trained expert in sanitized conditions. Most modern acupuncturists today use disposable sterilized needles and place them at various parts of the body.

There are differing theories as to why acupuncture can be effective in treating various health conditions. The most common theory suggests the use of needles on various parts of the body enhances and increases the chemical level of endorphins – the type of hormones that make us feel good, physically and mentally. Other traditional theories suggest that the needles reestablish a level of Qi – Qi being the energy force that provides balance warding off disease and illness according to traditional medicine Chinese practitioners.

Most people commonly see an acupuncturist for natural fertility, IVF support, stress, quit smoking, pain management, migraine, insomnia, period pain, menopause and endometriosis. Unlike some other natural therapies, acupuncture is generally reasonably priced and affordable. Here in Australia it is quite common that health insurers provide rebates for the practice and treatment. In the past 10 years it has become increasingly apparent that acupuncture has become part of the mainstream in health treatment and it appears it will continue to do so in the years ahead as more and more people look for alternative and traditional treatment in treating various health conditions, illness and disorders.

References
Scott SW, Deare JC. Acupuncture for migraine: a systematic review. Aust J Acupunct Chin Med 2006;1(1):3-14.