21st CENTURY ACUPUNCTURE

ANCIENT HEALTH AND PAIN MANAGEMENT DELIVERED IN A NEW WAY

Acupuncturist Dawn Caudill draws upon more than 2,000 years of ancient wisdom in her acupuncture practice. But in the 21^st century, she’s using today’s technology to cut chronic pain, speed up recovery and healing, and lower the cost of treatment. A lot of people only think of needles when they consider acupuncture. But today’s infrared technology is changing the way Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and wellness are viewed and practiced.

WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE

In layperson’s terms, and in a very succinct nutshell, acupuncture stimulates nerves, muscles, and connective tissues. Through repeated stimulation, acupuncture unblocks the flow of energy, electrical charges/currents, and blood flow within our bodies. This reduces stress and produces states of physical relaxation. When we are in relaxed, parasympathetic (safe and stress free) states our bodies generate more healthy cells, reducing perpetual inflammation and increasing opportunities for more healthy cell rebuilding and strengthening for more fortified healing.

The Veterans Administration provides over 200,000 acupuncture treatments every year.  

“Acupuncturists aren’t relegated to solely working with needles. They can generate results via other tools as well,” Caudill says.   By using specialized massage techniques, electrical muscle stimulation, oils, herbs, and unique treatments such as cupping, the fundamental philosophies of acupuncture are leveraged without the use of needles. Superstar athletes have been known to utilize these methods, and in some cases, have brought procedures like cupping to the world stage. Michael Phelps often emerged at Olympic swimming rounds displaying on his body the ring marks of cupping. Athletes use cupping for rapid muscle recovery and for pain relief.

This ancient practice of tapping into the body’s natural self-healing systems by homing in on specific body points and meridians and by pressing or stretching skin and muscle promotes healthy cell development and regeneration, and ultimately better wellbeing overall. HOW INFRARED ACUPUNCTURE WORKS Today, Dawn and other acupuncturists are using infrared technology to dive into tight muscles and joints to help alleviate knots and blockages, loosening tight muscles and healing connective tissue without the use of traditional needles. Similar to traditional acupuncture needles, but with a deeper penetration, infrared light waves widen blood vessels, increasing micro-circulation enabling more nutrients and oxygen to cells. The infrared waves help shorten the inflammation phase of the healing process and usher in a healthy cell rebuilding phase, resulting in an overall faster healing process. This condensed healing process reduces the amount of treatment sessions needed and can subsequently reduce costs to patients.  According to U.S. News & World Report (2024), all top ten-ranked hospitals in the U.S. now offer acupuncture. Over three million adults per year now use acupuncture—an exponential increase since the turn of the century. ACUPUNCTURE FOR MENTAL HEALTH Acupuncture can help heal and manage more than just physical pain. It can also work for mental health as well.

While some western medicine practitioners and scientists still debate acupuncture, Dawn and many acupuncture patients praise the treatment results. Dawn believes that combining the knowledge and attributes of both western and eastern medicine is the most beneficial way to take on a whole-person approach. “When I used both Western and Eastern medicine in my own personal recovery process, I got further faster.” Caudill concludes. Healthy living and learning to live well require acknowledgement that our brains, bodies, minds, feelings, and social interactions all matter—and all connect and overlap in large and small ways. Choosing the best ways to take better care of ourselves and loved ones will often take multiple-pronged approaches. Some things be aware of:  Red light therapy (RLT) and infrared therapy are NOT the same. RLT is often used by dermatologists and beauty experts for higher-surface treatment for issues with skin, wrinkles, acne, and scars, as well as hair loss and minor muscle aches and pain. RLT is visible to the human eye, whereas infrared light is invisible to the human eye and penetrates deeper into the body. In addition, dry needling is NOT the same as acupuncture. Physical therapists, athletic trainers, and other Western medicine practitioners use dry needling that follows musculoskeletal and neurological science, while acupuncture is based on traditional Eastern medicine and philosophies and practiced by licensed acupuncturists.   ADDITIONAL SOURCES: National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Acupuncture https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/acupuncture-effectiveness-and-safety Acupuncture Past, Present, and Future (NIH) Acupuncture: Past, Present, and Future - PMC Morningside Acupuncture on Acupuncture Facts 21st Century Acupuncture Facts in the United States — Morningside Acupuncture NYC Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Dry Needling T.J. Watt details return from surgery for lung injury, is 'excited' to return to Steelers' lineup Sunday | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette