Acupuncture is an alternative form of medicine that originated thousands of years ago in China. The popularity of the treatment spread to Europe. Throughout the last 50 years, it has become increasingly common in the United States and Canada. During acupuncture, needles are inserted at the patient’s skin at certain points and depths. It has been known to provide these 9 benefits.

1 – Relief of Nausea

One of the growing reasons many people take advantage of acupuncture is because it has been known to help relieve nausea. In particular, it is especially helpful to minimize sickness that comes after surgery or intense medical treatments. Many doctors actually recommend it to their patients before and after surgery to minimize pain and recovery time. It serves as a great alternative form of pain relief and does not have the unfavorable side effects (like nausea) that many pain medications cause.

2 – Minimizes Back Pain

Another common ailment that acupuncture can help is back pain. Many people who suffer from chronic back pain prefer this eastern form of medicine to help them get the relief they need to handle daily activities and sleep better. During the procedure, doctors are able to target pressure points in the back that may be causing the pain. This targeted pain relief effort can be much more successful at reducing discomfort than common pain medications.

3 – Increases the Effectiveness of Pharmaceuticals

Many doctors also feel that acupuncture can help to increase the effectiveness of pharmaceuticals. In particular, many mental health doctors recommend the procedure for patients on Prozac. When combined together, anxiety and depression is greatly reduced. Also, patients undergoing acupuncture usually need lower doses of their medication. This reduces common side effects that are unpleasant, including weight gain, nausea, and a diminished sex drive.

4 – Helps Treat Veterinary Problems

Furthermore, acupuncture has been proven to be successful in the veterinary field. Many veterinarians are actually using this treatment in combination with traditional methods. They find that the therapy successfully reduces pain in animals and can promote recovery from a variety of sicknesses.

5 – Reduces Indigestion and Heartburn

In addition, regular acupuncture is a great way to minimize stomach problems, especially indigestion and heartburn. These two problems are especially common among pregnant women. Although diet changes are recommended to alleviate these concerns, it is not always easy with pregnant women due to taste changes. Also, even adhering to a strict diet cannot ensure that indigestion and heartburn will disappear. Since pregnant women are limited on the medication they can take, this alternative form of medicine is greatly beneficial at relieving discomfort and allowing women to have more favorable pregnancies.

6 – Minimizes Side Effects of Radiation and Chemotherapy

The therapy is also known to greatly minimize the side effects that cancer patients experience with chemotherapy and radiation. It can reduce nausea and dry mouth that is common with these treatments. In addition, patients who receive combine acupuncture with chemotherapy and radiation also have better mental health. Though not all symptoms are alleviated, they seem to have a better outlook and more hope for the future.

7 – Lessens Constant Headaches

Many patients that suffer from a variety of headaches also find relief with acupuncture. The needles can be used to target pressure points that may be triggering the pain. Sometimes this can prevent headaches from returning. Also, in patients with severe migraines, it has been known to significantly reduce the pain and provide a more comfortable life for these individuals. In fact, many pregnant women who cannot take strong headache medications often rely on this alternative form of medicine to provide them with relief from head pain.

8 – Weight Loss

Those individuals who are overweight might also benefit from acupuncture. Although the results on weight loss vary, many people have an easier time losing weight when this therapy is combined with diet and lifestyle changes. The reason for this is because it can reduce the occurrence of triggers that might be the cause of overeating.

9 – Safe and Effective

Finally, this therapy is extremely safe for all individuals. Very few side effects result from it compared to those that come when individuals take pain medications. It works particularly well for the following people:

• Individuals who cannot take pain medications.
• Individuals who don’t respond to traditional pain medications.
• Individuals who do not want to take pain medications

Talk to your doctor today about this eastern form of medicine. It has many benefits and it could help you to minimize your pain and get the relief needed from some of the most common medical concerns.

Lauren writes for Solstice Medicine Company, a company offering traditional Chinese remedies for joint pain, immune system support and allergies. Check them out here.