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You’ve probably seen Kim Kardashian-West’s instagram photo of a bloodied face in the name of beauty or heard about an array of celebrities talking up acupuncture as a natural medicine on television. Unlike many celebrity health endorsements seen today, this one might actually be a method that could yield results in people's life.
Acupuncture was accepted as a complement to Western medicine in 1997 by the National Institutes of Health, and there is an entire laundry list of health benefits.
Everyone's body is different and there have been reviews both supporting and denying the effectiveness of acupuncture, but you may still want to at least consider this natural remedy before just falling back onto prescribed drugs next time your body could use a little help.
The first benefit is everyone’s favorite: weight loss.
A study published in Nature in 2009 showed that acupuncture could significantly reduce body weight and improve outcomes of obesity, allowing higher weight loss than drugs or a controlled lifestyle alone. Acupuncture can stimulate certain nerves and muscles in the body and improve energy flow. It also helps to release endorphins, stopping you from craving more food and over-consuming.
Herbal acupuncture combines the traditional use of needles with burning herbs. And, according to a review of animal and clinical trials published in the Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies, it is a method has been effectively used to help treat obesity, providing such benefits as anti-inflammation and helping fats metabolize quicker.
Although these results are promising to many struggling with weight loss, it is important to note that acupuncture may not be the answer for everyone. A healthy and sustainable weight loss plan is encouraged no matter what method is used.
A study done by the University of Malaya shows that acupuncture could help addicts stay clean. This therapy can be given by manual insertion of needles or electroacupuncture. The two methods are quite similar, but during electroacupuncture, needles are attached to a device generating continuous electric pulses to add extra stimulation. Both types of acupuncture been shown to reduce anxiety following nicotine withdrawal and have been helpful in reducing withdrawal cravings by regulating brain activity. The study also says the procedure could also be used to reduce withdrawal symptoms in heroin and opioid addicts.
Chemotherapy has an array of side effects, including nausea, weakness, hair loss, and more. A study conducted at Canada's McMaster University-Juravinski Cancer Centre followed 24 chemotherapy patients for 6 months after treatment. Each was given a modified total neuropathy score (MTNS) throughout the process, and the final results were measured. Acupuncture was shown to be helpful in reducing neuropathy, or peripheral nerve damage. It was also shown to help reduce numbness after going through chemotherapy.
The Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine released a study with 1,639 participants. It found that, when combined with traditional drugs, acupuncture can significantly increase pain-free durations and provide a shorter onset time of pain relief in patients still undergoing cancer treatment. The study also recommended combining acupuncture with traditional drugs, as this is more productive than using either alone.
