Acupuncture has been used in East-Asian medicine for thousands of years to treat a variety of ailments. Now two new studies have suggested that the complementary therapy is actually effective in improving mood and can help to kill pain.
Research carried out by experts from the universities of York and Hull found that acupuncture works by making the brain, rather than the body, no longer experience pain.
According to the specialists, the findings, which have been published in the Brain Research Journal suggest that the parts of the brain which are responsible for processing pain were deactivated when the Chinese therapy was given.
A further study presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting revealed that acupuncture could be an effective treatment for pregnant women who are suffering from depression.
Dealing with depression during pregnancy is problematic as some anti-depressants can cause issues in the foetus. But according to the study, women who received acupuncture experienced a significantly greater decrease in depression, without the need for medication.
The findings of both studies have been welcomed by healthcare experts, including Dr Mike Cummings, director of the British Medical Acupuncture Society. According to Dr Cummings, brain imaging over the past few years has shown similar results to the two new studies. He noted: "Acupuncture tends to result in decreased activity in some of the primitive parts of the brain associated with pain, suffering and mood."
Local registered acupuncturist and osteopath, Paul Clusker, has recently been treating local woman Catherine Harris. Catherine confirms that she suffered with migraine and back pain for around ten years. She says that “Over the years I have tried every sort of pain relief. In desperation, I decided to explore acupuncture in the hope of alleviating my pain”. She then visited Paul at the Backcare and Acupuncture Clinic.
Catherine continues “Sessions with Paul consisted of taking my medical history and lifestyle, some osteopathic assessment of my neck and upper back, and finally the strategically placed acupuncture needles. The first week I had two migraine attacks, the next week I had one. But at the start of week three I had no migraines or back pain.”
For more information contact Paul Clusker at the Backcare and Acupuncture Clinic on 07973908933
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