agenotes.com

The Aging Process and Alternative Medicine – Acupuncture

Today's lifestyle is fast-paced and pressures to perform are intense. Just one look out your window at rushing cars and people hurrying to and fro gives you a good idea of the stress-filled world we live in. Tensions start to pile up with each new day and by the time evening rolls around, individuals are feeling exhausted, with sore aching muscles and a general feeling of not being able to relax. Those moving along in the aging process are likely to feel these symptoms to a greater degree. There are ways to combat this sense of general malaise, and less invasive ones than taking prescription medication to deal with daily life.

As the immune system begins to become taxed, more germs and sickness are allowed in, thus complicating things further. Colds, backaches, migraines, flu-like symptoms, and feeling tired make each day worse than the one before. A person cannot always call in sick to work and take a day off to rest. Perhaps they cannot take cold medicine or other prescribed medications because it interferes with their ability to function during the day. Who wants to feel like a walking zombie? No one should be forced to go around feeling like their head is stuck inside a bucket from all of the side effects from various medications.

Wouldn't it be good to feel better, have more energy, get rid of those muscle aches and pains, and even have migraines ease up or go away completely? Is it worth a shot? What if this alternative came with very little risk of side effect? It sounds pretty appealing, and it might be surprising to learn that this procedure is acupuncture.

Acupuncture Has Been Around For Thousands of Years

Acupuncture might seem like the current rage in alternative medicine, but it has been around for thousands of years. Acupuncture's roots can be traced back to the Taoist tradition. Practitioners of acupuncture, before it was called so, would meditate on how man and the world's energy merged with each other. The flow of nature was within the human body and governed by a life force or energy called Qi (pronounced chee). Within the body, as in nature, there were lines that energy ran down. These lines are called meridians, and there are fourteen meridians within the human body. From these fourteen meridians, there are thousands of points that allow the blocked energy (from bodily injury, stress, or a poorly cared-for self) to be corrected.

The acupuncturist, after an initial physical and questioning the patient about his or her past medical history, will locate the damaged or blocked area and begin work. Thin, solid needles are inserted into the skin. It is virtually painless. The needles are then manipulated by the hand or electrical stimulation. The acupuncturist then leaves the patient to rest and relax before coming back in to remove the needles.

Will Acupuncture Become More Mainstream?

While acupuncture is a great alternative to traditional medicine, it should not be expected to be an instant miracle cure. Some patients do report a noticeable difference within one visit, but more often, it takes many visits to see great improvement. Another great bonus is that more and more insurance plans are covering CAM, or Complimentary Alternative Medicine, thus allowing individuals the opportunity to try something different. With little side effect, acupuncture is certainly worth trying. Just think - no more medicine head and no worrying about falling asleep at work from the effects of cold medicine or drugs. It is definitely worth a shot, especially if the aging process is catching up with you.

Find reliable information about anti-aging skin treatment at Chicago Dermatology.

Tags: acupuncture, acupuncturist, age, aging population, Aging Process, alternative-medicine, Anti Aging, medicine