This information on Acupuncture comes to you from Mar, professional Acupuncturist at Align Spa, Park City, Utah. 🙂

You’ve probably heard about acupuncture, know someone who has been treated with acupuncture -or have tried it yourself. Acupuncture as an “alternative” medicine has become more popular and mainstream in the U.S.  Not only has acupuncture been found to help chronic and acute pain conditions, but it has also been used to treat a whole host of illnesses. Everything from digestive problems, neurological issues, respiratory challenges and GYN disorders and the list goes on and on. Acupuncture is also being used in many hospitals as a complementary treatment for people undergoing radiation and chemotherapy.  And even though acupuncture is one of the oldest and most enduring forms of medicine in the world, we here in the Western world are still boggled by the idea that a bunch of needles placed in various locations through the body are going to cause any effect except to cause pain. I mean they are needles, pointy things going into the skin…Ouch! And that’s supposed to make us feel better?

Strangely enough the answer is a resounding, YES!

First off, most people who have experienced acupuncture will tell you the needles rarely hurt.  Sometimes it may feel like a light pinch that quickly goes away.  I’ve had several patients fall asleep while I’m putting the needles in.  At Align Spa, I use thin, one time use, disposable sterile needles. For those of you that are still needle phobic, there are many other techniques and methods we can use to treat you that don’t involve needles. (Please go to our website at alignspa.com and click on Acupuncture and Your Treatment to find out more information.)

From a Chinese medicine perspective, the needles are placed in specific locations, based on the diagnosis. These points are used to help restore balance in the body, allowing blood and qi (vital energy) to flow, reestablishing health and wellness. Simply put, if you are experiencing physical or emotional pain, then the flow of qi and or blood is not flowing freely throughout your body.  You may be experiencing tiredness, depression, feeling like you are stuck and unable to get motivated.  Oftentimes, that may stem from a lack of qi and blood and like a pond without fresh moving water, it stagnates.  Or perhaps you’ve had a skiing accident, hurting your knee, causing a blockage that collects too much qi and blood in one place increasing your pain and slowing the healing process.  Like an overflowing dam, letting go of a little water can help release the pressure.

But what if you’re basically feeling good, eating well, exercising, meditating, should you be getting acupuncture? I mean how often do you go to your medical doctor and say, “hey, I’m feeling great, is there anything else I can do to keep feeling this way?”  Generally, preventative medicine is not the strong suit of the American Medical Association.  Acupuncture is a great treatment to help ensure the continued free flow of qi and blood and assisting in keeping a physical and emotional balance. Stressors, can impede your body’s natural balance and eventually lead to illness that can’t immediately be detected. So, getting acupuncture every once in a while may help maintain your healthy balance.

So whether you’re healthy, had an accident or have a chronic condition, acupuncture can help to encourage the healthy flow of qi and blood. If you are interested in learning more about acupuncture and alternative treatments, including Western Medicine theories as to why acupuncture is so effective, please visit our website at alignspa.com.

Providing quality acupuncture care is just one of the many reasons Align Spa was voted 2015’s #1 spa in Park City.  Stop by or visit our website to see all the services we provide. Thank you and we hope you’re all enjoying the amazing snow this year! ❤