These days, if someone suggested that you sign up for rheumatoid arthritis acupuncture in Seattle, you might be quick to dismiss them. You would probably give them an earful off for suggesting that you waste your precious time and resources on an alternative treatment option. Surprisingly, you would be wrong, and your friend would be right.
Acupuncture, which is part of traditional Chinese medicine, has been useful in treating some ailments. The jury is still out on what causes autoimmune disorders such as arthritis, which means that there is yet to be an effective treatment for them.
A 3,000-year-old tradition
Patients reluctantly turning up for their first appointment are always taken aback to learn that the Chinese have been practicing acupuncture for over three millenniums. For a practice to persist this long only means one thing – it is useful and helpful to the target patients. These practices are gradually endearing themselves to people in the Western world and across the globe.
Health specialists have found acupuncture to lessen the severity of depression and chronic pain while improving the effectiveness of the standard medical care. That is a significant endorsement from the highest echelons of medical practitioners. That can in part explain why more than 14 million Americans have given the ancient treatment option a go.
A warm, fuzzy feeling
Patients undergoing acupuncture say that there is a slight dull throb that quickly gives way to relief from the crippling pain. The insertion of sterile thin needles along the body’s energy pathways, known as meridians, has proven effective in managing pain. Patients often report a drop of up to 50 percent after an acupuncture session.
When acupuncture needles are inserted into an aching spot in your body, you are likely to feel the area getting warm. The warmth lasts for a few minutes, then dissipates along with the crippling pain. The relief from pain is immediate following a treatment, making each session that you attend quite fruitful.
A lasting solution
The number of acupuncture sessions necessary to overcome a health ailment depends on the condition itself and will vary from person to person. A compound or chronic disease might call for one or two treatment sessions a week for several months. You can overcome an acute problem with fewer visits – about eight to ten visits. Each treatment is customized to suit your needs and ease your pain. A session is often an hour, but some can be as long as an hour and a half.
In the end, when suffering from a condition with no known cure, it is in your best interest to explore all possible treatment options. Chinese medicine has been effective in healing and managing the pain that results from such ailments. Numerous studies show acupuncture to be harmless and effective in combating rheumatoid arthritis among other autoimmune disorders. Given that this Asian practice has being vetted by the medical community and gives a clean bill of health, you would be wise to explore its benefits.
