Palm Harbor Acupuncture has been used by the Chinese well over 2,000 years as treatment for a number of illnesses.  It is one of the treatment modalities of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and with herbal medicine has been one of the more popular forms of alternative medicine.  Acupuncture is widely used in the west to treat a number of illnesses ranging from infertility to low back pain.

Before treatment, the acupuncturist will need to know your medical history.  He will examine the pulses on each wrist, tongue, your face color, voice and meridians. After examining you and studying your medical history, he will make a diagnosis and determine the best mode of treatment for you.

Normally 6 to 12 needles are used for the treatment. The placement should correspond to the meridians where the problem is located.  For, example, for overeating, the acupuncturist usually inserts needles in the auricle because there are meridians in the ear directly connected to the liver, which is usually the affected organ for cravings and addiction.  The needle maybe placed just a fraction of an inch deep or one to two inches deep in the skin.

One would know that the treatment is working when the needle is inserted and one feels a slight sting or prick.  After the needle has been inserted, one should not feel any pain. Acupuncture sessions are supposed to be relaxing experiences.  So if one experiences pain and discomfort during treatment, the acupuncturist should be informed about this immediately. The number and duration of treatments can last from seconds to hours but a session regularly last 20 to 30 minutes.

Acupuncture is virtually a harmless and risk-free procedure especially with an experienced professional acupuncturist treating you.  Oftentimes, acupuncture is complemented with the use of herbal medicine to speed up and maximize treatment.  Depending on the problem, treatment may last from one or two sessions per week for 5 to 6 weeks or 6 months or more depending on the state of your health.  It is up to the acupuncturist to determine the length of one’s treatment.  The acupuncturist might try to use different needling techniques to determine what technique is the best for you.

Acupuncture works effectively for the treatment of pain such as low back, joint, neck, muscle and wound pain.  Acupuncture is even utilized as an additional form of anesthesia for surgery in some hospitals.  It is also used for treatment of arthritis, muscle strain and spastic colon.  It is particularly effective in boosting the body’s immune system.

When going for first time treatment, it is advisable to bring someone along to drive you home since acupuncture may leave you a bit incapacitated due to a relaxed state of being which is usually experienced by patients after treatment.