There are many virtues to acupuncture, but the majority of them still require scientific studies to be confirmed. A recent study along these lines has proven that acupuncture is effective in reducing chronic headaches.
What is acupuncture ?
As it is not based on scientific foundations and knowledge, acupuncture is defined as a pseudomedicine whose origins are linked to the Chinese medical tradition. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture is a technique for balancing the flow of energy or life force – known as “ chi ” Where ” qi – which circulates through the meridian pathways of the body. Acupuncture is practiced by inserting very fine needles through the skin at strategic points on the body.
Exactly how it works isn’t known, but some experts believe acupuncture may help stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue. Others think it could stimulate the production of natural painkillers in the body. These assumptions are related to the fact that acupuncture is very often used to treat pain problems. But more and more people are using this method to manage problems like anxiety and stress.
When it comes to the benefits of acupuncture on pain, a new study by researchers at Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has found it to be an effective method for chronic headaches. Note that a person suffers from chronic tension headache when episodes of intense headaches occur at least 15 days per month. Generally, people who have this problem take painkillers to overcome the pain.
A 50% reduction in the frequency of headaches
This new study published in the journal Neurology showed that acupuncture reduces the frequency of headaches by half in people who suffer from chronic tension headaches. This result was achieved after just 20 real acupuncture sessions over two months, and gradual improvements were seen throughout the process. Even superficial acupuncture sessions have been found to reduce the frequency of headache episodes, although not as effective as true acupuncture sessions.
This means that acupuncture could be a more effective method than taking medication to treat chronic headaches. To reach these conclusions, the study looked at 218 people who were diagnosed with chronic tension headache. The participants were divided into two groups to receive either real acupuncture sessions or one of the superficial acupuncture sessions. Note that real acupuncture sessions aim to obtain a feeling of ” deqi “.
It involves placing and moving a needle deep in the body in order to achieve a tingling, numb or heaviness sensation. Superficial treatments are carried out at a shallower depth and do not allow the sensation of ” deqi “. The researchers said their study could not determine how acupuncture helps relieve chronic headaches. They also announced plans to conduct a study on the cost-effectiveness of acupuncture for chronic tension headache compared to conventional treatments, reported U.S. News.
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