A Beginners Guide to Traditional Chinese Acupuncture

Traditional Chinese acupuncture is a holistic healing therapy that has been used for thousands of years, since B.C. times. Acupuncture is used to stimulate various parts and functions of the body using thin, solid needles with rounded tips. These needles are quite painless and are often used in groups. There are 360 different points that can be stimulated with acupuncture. As you can imagine, a wide variety of ailments and issues can be addressed using this form of alternative medicine. Common examples of uses for and issues treated by acupuncture include weight loss, detoxification, thyroid regulation, arthritis, back problems, depression, addiction and acne, just to name a few.

In the beginning, acupuncture was limited to China. However, this practice made its way to the Western world and is widely practiced today in many different countries. There are all kinds of practitioners of acupuncture these days. They include medical doctors as well as alternative healers. Often, a practitioner of acupuncture has knowledge in other areas as well such as traditional medicine and/or alternative medicine. A practitioner may use other therapies in conjunction with the needles to elicit the best results possible. Your doctor may recommend acupuncture in addition to your prescription medication. Or, your holistic healer may recommend herbal remedies to be used. Acupuncture often works best as a supplement for medical treatment, not a replacement.

If you are interested in becoming an acupuncture practitioner, you will need some education and certification. There are a wide variety of holistic education centers around the country that you can attend. Even some universities offer acupuncture on the curriculum. The average program combines book study with hands-on experience for the best education possible. The duration and cost of an acupuncture program will depend on how extensive it is and the policies of the educational facility.

To learn more about traditional Chinese acupuncture, you should consider reading some books on the subject. A little research is recommended whether or not you want to pursue acupuncture as a career or are simply preparing for your first session as a patient. Some good titles are Acupuncture: A Comprehensive Text by Chen Chiu Hseuh, Acupuncture for Everyone: What It Is, Why It Works and How it Can Help you by Dr. Ruth Kidson, and Complete Idiot's Guide to Acupuncture and Acupressure by David W. Sollars.

Copyright 2007 James D. Sterling - All Rights Reserved



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