You’ve probably heard of acupuncture, it is undoubtedly one of the most famous of the Chinese medical practices that have made their way into mainstream Western society. Of course you may never have used it or have any idea what it might be for. But the truth is that what it for depends on who you ask. For many people, acupuncture is a cure-all. It can be used to remedy all sorts of illnesses and conditions, and that’s because it supposedly targets the energies of the body rather than the physical aspect. Of course for many others acupuncture is nothing more than a scam that has no actual medicinal value aside from providing a placebo for the gullible.
The first thing to remember about acupuncture is that if you have an aversion to needles, this probably is not a treatment that is going to do wonders for you. Hundreds of needles are pricked into the skin often with little rituals done beforehand including such things as dousing them in certain oils or placing herbs on top of them and setting them alight, before they are pushed in. Smoke and fire are also a big part of the practice in the sense of incense and other procedures such as suction. The sessions can often be uncomfortable but people who use acupuncture often speak of it feeling like a fairly calming sensation that is actually generally very enjoyable.
One of the most important aspects of it is that you must choose a practitioner who you are happy to work with. It can be too easy simply to go for the first acupuncturist that you see, but you wouldn’t do this in any other aspect of your life. Put plenty of research into finding out their specialities and different forms of acupuncture that they might practice. This may ultimate make a big difference to you and your health.
One thing that acupuncture is reportedly able to help with is insomnia. Insomnia is a condition that sees you being unable to sleep properly. It’s more than just not being able to fall asleep but rather a situation where you find yourself constantly tired but unable to feel rested by the little sleep that you do eventually get. It can be a real burden on the lives of thousands of people and can be a real trouble to your wellness and wellbeing if it is something that you suffer from.
The trouble is that insomnia has many different forms and can just as often be a symptom rather than a condition within itself. Therefore trying to deal with it is not always as simple as going to the chemist and picking up a pill (although sleeping pills can give mild relief). In fact, most of the time the problem is highly complex, but when it can cause things as serious as hallucinations, depression and even eventually a greater risk of death, it’s no surprise that people look for a cure for it.
So can acupuncture and other Chinese medical practices be used as a way to fight it? Well, there is no reason why this can’t be tried but it is highly likely that any benefit the patient receives will be due to the placebo effect of believing that something is helping them. There has never been any scientific proof that acupuncture is able to do anything to you that helps you specifically. It’s always best to talk to your doctor about what is best for you rather than relying on such ideas as acupuncture to help you sleep better.