Acupuncture is one of the primary treatments used in the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). According the TCM, acupuncture promotes the body’s healing abilities by regulating the flow of Qi (vital life energy in the body, pronounced “chee”) by inserting very fine needles into specific points in the body. Over many years, TCM has mapped out the flow of Qi in the body through a system called meridians. Each of the 12 main meridians connects to one specific organ, or group of organs, that govern particular bodily functions. Illness results when Qi stagnates or is blocked, or when the body has too little, or too much, of it. When energy flows freely, wellbeing is restored.

Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs and Cupping are healing and they do a wonderful job of repairing you, when you are out of balance. In Chinese Medicine, the onset of serious or uncomfortable symptoms indicates that you have been unhealthy and out of balance, maybe for a long time months or years. And so the aim of acupuncture is to bring you to back to a healthy state of being, where symptoms don’t return. This takes time. Your body has work to do to reclaim and sustain health.

To treat an illness or condition, healing time depends on a number of factors such as the length of time you’ve had your illness, your age, lifestyle and so on. As with taking an antibiotic treatment for example, its necessary at the start to take the medicine regularly and for a full course. Similarly, with Acupuncture, at the beginning of your treatment, it’s necessary to have regular treatments closer together to really nip the problem in the bud and start the healing process.

Acupuncture is amazing and will give you quick relief. However, in order to sustain the results, you will need a number of treatments overtime to maintain balance.

So what are you waiting for, include acupuncture in your health prevention and maintenance toolbox.

Make sure that you use a registered Acupuncturist professional which will ensure that they have a minimum of a three year diploma accredited qualification and in Ireland are required to do annual continual professional development hours. Irish Acupuncture accreditation boards are Acupuncture Council of Ireland an AFPA. You can find a local practitioner via their websites.