This is an excerpt from an article posted on Active.com.
Looking for a safe, effective way to heal the aches, pains and potential injuries that accompany an athletic lifestyle? Acupuncture may be an avenue to explore. Many pro athletes, sports clubs and sporting events utilize acupuncture to enhance athletic performance and to increase recovery times.
Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine, which has been a common practice around the world for over 2,500 years. Acupuncture was widely used and publicized in the 2008 Olympic games in China as a respected and effective method for injury prevention, treatment and pain relief. The US National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization promote acupuncture as “A safe and effective tool in managing pain and injury while supporting optimal wellness.”
How Does Acupuncture Help Athletes?
Acupuncture is an effective, personalized, non-pharmaceutical and non-surgical method of therapeutic treatment. As a holistic alternative or compliment to Western medicine, it works to restore the body’s natural state of balance by accessing your own ability to heal.
Pain Relief: When the inserted needles stimulate the acupuncture points, the body releases endorphins, a natural painkiller. The endorphins provide rapid—often long-lasting relief—and patients usually feel the results after one treatment. Working at the source of the pain helps decrease inflammation, increases range of motion, and boosts the immune system. Taking drugs can mask the pain, exasperating the condition and creating permanent damage. Acupuncture is a medically effective alternative for pain relief without the harmful side effects.
Improved Blood Flow: When the needles activate the acupuncture points, they create an increase of nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide causes blood vessels to relax and to widen, opening up the arteries. The process allows for more blood flow to the heart and to the other organs improving blood circulation and cardiovascular health.
Muscle Relaxation: As the blood flow is increased through the body, tight muscles relax and inflammation reduces. Therefore, by relieving fatigue and strain, muscle soreness is alleviated.
Injury Prevention and Treatment: Acupuncture promotes neurological and cardiovascular balance, which supports homeostasis in the body—therefore preventing injury. Should injury arise, the treatments regulate nerve conduction and microcirculation in the area of inflammation to speed up the healing process.
Energy and Endurance Enhancement: Acupuncture can be used to regulate the nervous system, which helps to improve energy and endurance allowing for enhanced athletic performance. Also, by addressing the acupuncture sites related to the liver and lung function along with the digestive systems, a boost in energy and endurance can occur by removing blockages and increasing the flow of qi.
Rapid Recovery: Having regular treatments in between training sessions and after a race minimizes muscle fatigue and pain, enhances energy, and facilitates rapid recovery. It also promotes a deeper, more restful sleep allowing the muscle tissue to rebuild and for energy to be restored.
Call 732-872-6595 opt 2 to schedule your appointment with the acupuncturists of Eastpointe Integrated Healthcare.
Full Article from Active.com:
http://www.active.com/health/articles/the-benefits-of-acupuncture-therapy-for-athletes
