Acupuncture as Preventative Medicine
“The sages of antiquity did not treat those who were already sick, but those who were not sick… When a disease has already broken out and is only then treated, would that not be just as late as to wait for thirst before digging a well, or to wait to go into battle before casting weapons?”
(Nei Jing)
In studying acupuncture in the West we have focused mainly on its potential as a treatment for specific disorders. For example, research has shown that acupuncture can relieve chronic low back pain, dental pain, and migraine headaches. It can relieve the pain of fibromyalgia and symptoms of osteoarthritis. Acupuncture can aid recovery from sports injuries. It has also been found to help with emotional pain syndromes and reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. Yet, we do not focus on acupuncture as part of preventative medicine.
Today, in the United States, the vast majority of patients only seek out acupuncture treatments once they are feeling pain or sickness.
Well, it turns out that traditionally, acupuncture is used mostly as a means of preventative medicine rather than a treatment for ailments. Traditional Chinese medicine focuses on keeping the body healthy and avoiding illness. Ancient practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine would administer regular treatments to everyone in the community as a sort of ‘tune up’ to keep them well. These tune ups would help avoid the imbalances that can weaken an immune system and lead to illness. Acupuncture treatments were used in combination with herbs and nutritional counseling to maintain health and wellness.
Take Control
Let’s face it, our world is full of risk and everywhere we turn there are endless stories of sickness and disease. Every day we are alerted to a new threat from the latest flu or COVID variant. So, why not take the best possible care of yourself and prevent illness? Find a practitioner you are comfortable with and develop a plan for achieving and maintaining your body’s optimal health. It just makes sense. Keeping yourself healthy is a heck of a lot easier and much less expensive than trying to diagnose, fight, and recover from an ailment.
Ready to take control of your health? Schedule a visit today and let us help you on your journey!
