Improving Immune Function with Acupuncture
Acupuncture has played an important role in traditional ancient Chinese medicine for centuries. Medical practitioners and healers in Eastern countries have long used acupuncture to address the discomfort of patients exhibiting many different symptoms, including headaches, dental pain, menstrual cramps, and respiratory disorders, to name just a few. Recent decades have seen interested researchers in Western countries conducting clinical trials which conclude the effectiveness of these historical therapies at modulating the immune system. Modern science now supports the claim that acupuncture decreases inflammation and can lead to relief from our most common chronic and acute disorders.
Do you experience regular anxiety? Have chronic lower back pain? Or, maybe you're just trying to practice preventative medicine to ward off disorders like osteoarthritis or even cancer. According to multiple studies recently published in the US National Library of Medicine's National Institute of Health database, acupuncture can do all this and more by enhancing anti-stress, -inflammation, and -cancer effects which results in a regulated, happily-functioning immune system. So, how exactly does acupuncture create these immunity-boosting benefits? It starts in the mind.
Acupuncture needles trick the brain into believing there is a virus or bacteria in the body, which consequently begins to flood itself with an increased concentration of T cells and white blood cells, whose sole mission it is to destroy any "invader" it comes into contact with. By increasing the number of T cells and white blood cells, the body is better able to combat harmful bacteria and viruses regardless of the source. And, the benefits of these increased cell counts continue for days after the initial acupuncture session. Some publications are even suggesting that acupuncture might soon be part of a direct anti-tumor therapy due to its immunomodulating effects. The science is empowering and supports traditional theories on the method's best practices.
Eastern acupuncture was originally developed as a way to control what is thought of as the body's wei qi, the energetic system that circulates just below our skin and controls our sweating and immunity. It was based on very intuitive concepts that have been corroborated by modern studies, including those conducted by The National Institute of Health. Essentially, Traditional Chinese Medicine used acupuncture to regulate lung function and the opening and closing of pores on the skin in a way that protects the body from pathogens that cause disease. Even before the advances of modern technology, we knew that if you sweat in the cold, you're more likely to "catch a chill." This ancient practice fully embraces the important role the skin plays in regulating the body's stress response. Our predecessors may not have known they were stimulating the body's T cell production, but careful observation and experimentation provided them with the same data--acupuncture is effective at boosting the body's immune system. Its effects either prevent the development of disease or provide therapy that eases the symptoms of existing disorders.
The real magic at the heart of acupuncture is its anti-inflammatory effects. A stunningly high percentage of the disorders we most commonly face today are the result of inflammation in the body, and we likely all understand why. Increasing demands on our time and personal resources have resulted in low-level stress as a way of life. We all do our best to be aware of this ever-increasing pressure and try to come up with ways to de-stress and give ourselves a break. The problem is, we never have time for a break! Fortunately, acupuncture therapy doesn't take much time and has results that last for days or longer if you opt for regular treatments. Give us a call or book your acupuncture appointment with Denver Holistic Medicine on our website today!