Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years, and its popularity continues to grow. It is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that uses thin needles inserted into the body at specific points to restore balance and encourage healing. If you’re considering acupuncture as part of your healthcare regimen, it’s important to find an experienced, evidence-based provider—like the naturopathic doctors, at CARESPACE in Kitchener and Waterloo—who can help you make the most of this ancient modality. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits that evidence-based acupuncture at CARESPACE can provide.
Acupuncture for Pain Relief
One of the primary uses for acupuncture is pain relief. Benefits are seen in both acute and chronic pain conditions, including headaches, low back pain, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, neck pain and many more. A 2018 systematic review found that acupuncture was “superior to sham control in reducing chronic neck pain intensity by 50% or more” after 8 weeks of treatment.
Acupuncture is also helpful with postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). According to a meta-analysis published in 2019, “acupoint stimulation could reduce the severity and incidence rate of PONV compared with sham control…and pharmaceutical treatments.” The authors concluded that acupuncture could improve patient comfort during the postoperative period without any major side effects or adverse events.
Stress Management with Acupuncture
Evidence-based acupuncture can also be used to help manage stress levels. A 2017 study found that among nurses who worked night shifts (a very stressful job!), those who received acupuncture treatments experienced decreased levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) when compared with those who did not receive treatment. This suggests that regular acupuncture treatments may be beneficial for anyone who experiences daily high levels of stress.
Conclusion
In summary, there are many potential benefits to evidence-based acupuncture from a naturopath — from relief from acute and chronic pain conditions to improved stress management. Acupuncture is safe, effective, and non-invasive — so it’s definitely worth exploring if you’re looking for alternative ways to improve your health! If you’re interested in learning more about how evidence-based acupuncture can benefit you specifically, book a free online appointment to speak with one of the naturopathic doctors at CARESPACE in Kitchener Waterloo today! They will be able to answer any questions you may have about this ancient modality and discuss whether it may be right for you.
