Acupuncture in Fort Collins CO

Are you looking for acupuncture in Fort Collins? Can you imagine how effective a health care discipline must be to stand the test of time for hundreds of generations? With a large portion of the media and research focusing their attention on the newest surgeries and medications, valuable and essential forms of health care are being forgotten. With acupuncture being practiced as a medical system for over 2400 years, its safety and effectiveness has been proven time and time again. While acupuncture alone has been shown to be the best line of treatment for many conditions, it can also be incorporated into various treatment plans to increase results and decrease treatment time. Brave Roots Chiropractic: Steve Cook, DC would like to use this short article to provide you with some basic information about acupuncture and to see if you could be one of the millions of people to benefit from its application.
Understanding Acupuncture in Fort Collins CO
As mentioned earlier, acupuncture has been practiced as a system of medicine for over 2400 years, but its philosophy and roots predate recorded history. In fact, it is believed that acupuncture was first performed using needles that were actually formed from grinding stones into fine points. As time progressed, the first text describing acupuncture as a system of medicine was produced around 300 B.C. (The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine). Soon after its introduction, finely crafted metal needles replaced the stone variety and it has been recorded that royalty routinely used gold and silver needles. While this original text has been revised, edited, and added too for thousands of years, it still serves as the foundation for the contemporary medical system. Today, acupuncture has been incorporated into many western paradigms and is practiced in hospitals and private health care clinics across the world.
How does Acupuncture work?
With all the toxins present in our various environments, it is important that our bodies are well suited to interact and deal with each challenge that we face. While traditional and western explanations of acupuncture vary, each fundamentally deals with acclimating our body to our surroundings. After thousands of years of research, various points across the body have been located that have a significant impact on our body's overall physiology. Typically, depending on the desired end result, fine needles are meticulously positioned at these points to stimulate various aspects of our hormonal, immune, and endocrine systems. Once these systems have been stimulated, a number of neurotransmitters, natural pain killers, and hormones are released. Patients at our Brave Roots Chiropractic: Steve Cook, DC have described the following effects following acupuncture treatments:
- Decreases in muscles spasms and pain
- Decrease in swelling at various points across the body
- A general decrease in pain
- A decrease in illnesses due to stimulation of the immune system
- Lower levels of back and neck pain
- Fewer headaches
- Improved digestion
- Overall better sleep
- Fewer injuries during recreational sports
- Females report less gynecological issues
What should I expect during my acupuncture treatment?
The first thing to understand prior to an acupuncture session is that the needles used are much different than those that you would typically encounter at a hospital. Most patients describe their acupuncture treatment as a calm and relaxing experience. In fact, some patients report feeling little to nothing at all.
On your first visit to our clinic in Fort Collins, we will begin by performing a thorough history and examination. After the results are analyzed, we will identify the problematic areas and develop an individualized treatment plan. After the sterile needles are positioned, patients typically rest for 30-45 minutes as the treatment takes its course. Depending on the individual case, massage, moist heat, or cold packs may be combined with the therapy. The total visit typically lasts around an hour.
As with many conditions, the treatment effect can vary depending on the severity of the problem. Many patients report feeling immediate relief, while others describe noticing changes up to two days following the therapy. Depending on the patient and the number of visits, relief may last anywhere from a few hours to several weeks. It will be important to monitor this so that your treatment schedule can be altered appropriately.
While side effects are minimal, some patients have reported minor bouts of nausea, bruising, muscle pain, and difficulty sleeping following their initial treatment. If this occurs don't be alarmed and notify your treating health care professional prior to your next visit.
Acupuncture Q & A
Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that uses tiny, sterile acupuncture needles to puncture your skin at precise locations in order to improve the flow of energy — also called qi — in your body. According to TCM theory, your body has thousands of acupuncture points that can be used for:
- Joint and muscle pain
- Fatigue
- Stress
- Allergies
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Back and neck pain
- Headaches
- Sciatica
- Anxiety
- Nausea
Acupuncture is also a highly personalized form of alternative medicine, and no two treatments are alike. Your acupuncturist, Jennifer, develops an acupuncture treatment plan specifically for your needs and addresses your symptoms and underlying health issues without the need for medications or surgery.
TCM theory explains that the energy flow in your body can be blocked by illnesses, injuries, and emotional distress. If energy is unable to flow freely throughout your body, you may experience symptoms of discomfort or disease. By using acupuncture needles to remove these blockages, normal energy flow can be restored, allowing your body to heal itself naturally.
Current research into acupuncture has shown that the use of acupuncture points on the body increases the electrical activity in certain parts of your brain. This electrical activity has a cascade of effects, including increasing naturally occurring anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving chemicals, reducing your heart rate and blood pressure, and strengthening muscle contractions in the digestive tract to relieve stomach and intestinal issues.
Acupuncture offers a natural solution to many ailments. Discuss your health issues with Jennifer in order to determine if acupuncture is right for you.
During your acupuncture session, you’ll lie on a comfortable, padded table. Jennifer may expose certain areas of your skin — such as your arms, shoulders, back, or legs — and drapes you with a sheet or blanket for modesty, as needed.
Jennifer then inserts needles at specific acupuncture points. You may feel a small prick or pinch when the needles are inserted, though this sensation goes away within a few seconds. Your session lasts between 30-45 minutes.
Afterward, Jennifer removes the needles and you can return to your normal activities. You may feel tired or relaxed after your visit. Jennifer may recommend a series of visits for best results.
To set up an acupuncture consultation at Brave Roots Chiropractic, call or book online now.
If you would like to learn more about acupuncture in Fort Collins or see if you could benefit from its incorporation into your current care, please contact our team at Brave Roots Chiropractic: Steve Cook, DC today for help.
Monday
8:30am - 12:00pm
3:00pm - 6:00pm
Rossiter Stretching: 2:30pm - 6:00pm
Tuesday
1:00pm - 6:30pm
Wednesday
8:30am - 12:00pm
3:00pm - 6:00pm
Thursday
1:00pm - 6:30pm
Acupuncture: 10:00am - 5:00pm
Rossiter Stretching: 1:00pm - 5:30pm
Friday
8:00am - 1:00pm
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
Closed
Brave Roots Chiropractic:
Steve Cook, DC
2111 S College Ave Suite B
Fort Collins, CO 80525
P: (970) 482-5301
F: (866) 701-7104