What Is Acupuncture and How Does it Fit A Holistic Therapy?

Holistic therapy is a method of curing ailments that embraces the whole person, not only just specific facets. This is crucial for recovery because addiction typically impacts every part of a person—body, mind, spirit and feelings. So, what is acupuncture?

Also called complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), the holistic approach uses various therapies treating the total person to achieve the best results and healthiest balances available. One effective form of holistic therapy is acupuncture.

What Is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture uses very tiny needles inserted into the body as an alternative, holistic medicine technique. While it has widely been used for pain relief, it also has shown effective results in addiction treatment.

Acupuncture is a form of healthcare in China that dates back about 2,500 years. Acupuncture is based on the theory that the body’s patterns of energy (Qi) need a certain flow for good health. When the flow is disrupted, disease and illness develop. An Acupuncturist corrects this disruption in flow by treating mapped-out points close to the skin with tiny needles.

Acupuncture Is An Accepted Medical Treatment in the US

Acupuncture has gained wide acceptance in the United States in recent years as a method for treating many disorders. The FDA has moved the class of acupuncture needles from “experimental” devices into the medical devices category. The FDA defines medical devices as products using energy fields in the cure or treatment of disease and now regulates acupuncture needles as “class II” medical devices.

How Is Acupuncture Used to Treat the Disease of Addiction?

Acupuncture has made tremendous strides in the successful treatment of addiction. A study from 2008 showed that when acupuncture was used to treat both body and ear points, along with electrical stimulation, it alleviated withdrawal symptoms from opioids.

The same report published findings where using only ear points were effective in substance abuse treatment. The researchers also found that using acupuncture helped relieve withdrawal symptoms and prevented relapse from heroin.

At Beaches Recovery, You’ll Find High-quality Holistic Therapies

The staff at Beaches Recovery believes in using the mind, the body and the spirit approach for addiction treatment to be successful for the long-term. The alternative therapies staff at our facility can answer the question of “What is acupuncture?” as well as any other questions you may have.

Call 866.605.0532 today to find out what Beaches Recovery has to offer at our sunny and luxurious facility in Jacksonville, Florida. Our admissions specialists are standing by 24/7 to take your call.