Acupuncture is the Eastern tradition of inserting and manipulating very fine needles into the skin at specific points on the body. The purpose is therapeutic: to relive pain or other discomforts. There are a number of different schools of acupuncture that are practiced globally, including Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Tibetan.
Acupuncture in Practice
History
Traditional Chinese medicine explains that there are specific acupuncture points located along specific meridians in the body. Meridians are channels along which the life energy, or qi, flows. There are believed to be 12 standard meridians as well as eight extra meridians throughout the human body. Acupuncture needles are placed at specific points along the meridians by a trained practitioner to alleviate pain or other symptoms.
Studies
Acupuncture has been under the scrutiny of medical research since the mid-20th century. Despite an increasing number of studies, its functions and benefits remain controversial within scientific communities. One of the main reasons for this is that it is extremely difficult to create controlled studies. The World Health Organization published a study in which they showed that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of 28 different conditions. They also concluded that it may be effective for more than a dozen more.
Acupuncture Leg Meridians
The spleen meridian has a total of 21 acupuncture points that run from the toes all the way to the shoulders. The first 11 of them are located along the length of the foot and leg, and it is these meridians that are worked with to treat leg pain. If leg pain is accompanied by lower back pain, such as in sciatica, meridians in the lower back may also be manipulated.
Acupuncture for Non-specific Leg Pain
Leg pain is considered to respond well to acupuncture treatment, particularly idiopathic or non-specific leg pain. It is understood that acupuncture is beneficial for this type of pain because of its success at reducing inflammation and relieving non-specific pain. This may be beneficial for people who do not want to take over-the-counter or prescription medications for pain that is uncomfortable but not chronic or life threatening because of the possible side effects or contraindications of such medications. Treatment length and frequency for this type of leg pain will depend upon the intensity of the pain and other health conditions of the patient.
Acupuncture for Knee Pain
Knee pain is very common, particularly among athletes or other people who enjoy regular sports. One of the most common knee injuries is a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Damage to the ACL can be caused by sudden twisting movements, landing from a jump or changes in running direction. The risk of ACL damage also increases as you get older because of the gradual reduction in knee cartilage and loss of elasticity. Acupuncture may be effective at relieving this type of knee pain and the accompanying stiffness and muscle weakness. For this type of pain, acupuncture is recommended once each week until significant improvement is noticed.
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