Acupuncture has been very helpful for millions of people for thousands of years!  Here in Foley many area residents have discovered that acupuncture can provide relief that has been difficult to find.

The tiny painless needles are gently inserted into specific points carefully selected to obtain the best results.

Acupuncture points are associated with specific locations in the human nervous system.  The stimulation has a direct effect on the functioning of the brain.

 

​

Acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years.  In fact, acupuncture was used to help people find relief of pain and heal from illness before modern scientific principles of human physiology were understood.  Acupuncture was developed in an era known as a pre-scientific period.

The ancient theories developed primarily in China and other Asian cultures.  The most dominant aspect of these traditional views of health is that energetic balance is necessary for good health.  For a person to be healthy, their body must function in a balanced, harmonious way. Even though this idea originates from ancient cultures from around the world, modern views of health are in agreement with the concept.

The primary purpose of acupuncture when practiced from a traditional perspective is to assist the body to heal and restore balance.  Acupuncture helps your own body to heal. The traditional view considers your body’s own innate energy to be the essential healing force and the acupuncture treatment helps reduce blockages or stagnation of the energy pathways.

Even though this ancient traditional perspective may seem unusual to those of us in a modern culture, it must be remembered that acupuncture has long been found to be effective, even though it may be difficult to understand.





In recent years a large amount of research has been directed toward acupuncture in scientific facilities all around the world.  It has become evident that acupuncture is an effective treatment that holds great promise for a wide range of conditions. Studies from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, China, Japan, Korea, India and other countries have demonstrated the very real positive effects of acupuncture stimulation.

Most of the research has investigated the effects of acupuncture stimulation on the nervous system.  The tiny needles have been shown to stimulate peripheral nerves in such a way as to affect the function of the deepest portions of the brain.

In fact, acupuncture stimulates the portion of the brain that interprets pain and affects normal regulatory function.  This is believed to be the reason that acupuncture can be so effective for painful conditions and in helping the body function in a more balanced manner.

One thing is for sure.  Acupuncture has proven to be highly effective and safe for millions of people around the world for a wide range of conditions.  It is drug-free, so drug side effects are non-existent. In many cases, patients have responded well to acupuncture when other treatments have failed to resolve their complaint.

Research is ongoing to understand how acupuncture works.  Dr. Mark Kestner is actively participating with clinical acupuncture organizations in the United States and other countries to learn more about how to develop acupuncture to be even more effective. (Click here for Journal Article by Dr. Kestner.)