Needles are an underrated apparatus in the medical industry. Millions of needles are used in syringes to administer injections such as vaccinations and stitch cuts or injuries. But other treatments use needles as the main tool to treat specific problems or ailments in the body.
Here are three treatments in the health and wellness industry that mainly use needles.
Warning: This article discusses treatments that mainly utilize needles and how such procedures are done. If you are afraid of needles, it’s best to skip the article.
Dry Needling
Dry needling is a procedure that uses needles to help relieve your muscles from pain. This treatment is often used for people who suffer from muscle and skeletal pain and have issues with movement. It could typically be part of a more effective treatment for specific conditions.
How Does Dry Needling Work?
A licensed healthcare provider inserts specific needles in dry needling through the patient’s skin. The needles are thin, with a sharp edge guaranteed to penetrate the skin easily. This variety of needles differs from the one used for syringes. The procedure term describes the type of needle used; said apparatus is without medicine, hence the term “dry.”
The needles are penetrated towards trigger points in your body. These areas in your muscles are sensitive and can cause particular bodily pain or is close to the source of the pain. Such trigger points are caused by injury, poor posture, and more. With dry needling, the needles can help remove muscle tension and even trigger endorphins to relieve pain further.
Due to the sensitivity of the trigger points, it may or may not hurt. It could feel prickly, depending on the particular muscle pain you have. Treatability can also depend on your condition; one session could help relieve you immediately or take more. It can also be done alongside other treatments as suggested or prescribed by a physician.
Not anyone can just do the practice too. Dry needling can be a delicate process, so one has to be licensed to do the procedure. Individuals have to undergo a course and get a certification.
Such courses are generally available worldwide; particularly anywhere there’s a dry needling service. Wherever one is, you could encounter offers for a dry needling course melbourne, New York, or any other city in the world has to offer, if you are interested.
Exceptions
While dry needling is generally safe and effective, not everyone can try it. Certain people are at risk, such as pregnant women, those who just had surgery, and more. People who fear needles may not want to go through this.
Microneedling
Microneedling is a medical and cosmetic procedure where needles are pricked to the skin, usually to the face, and occasionally in other parts of the body. This is typically done to reduce acne scars, pores, wrinkles, and stretch marks. Cosmetic surgeons or dermatologists are the ones who usually perform it.
How is Microneedling Done?
Microneedling is done by using sterilized needles to puncture the skin. It is also known as collagen induction therapy, as the process helps stimulate collagen due to the holes made from the punctures. These holes allow your body to heal, producing collagen and elastin.
Collagen and elastin are two proteins that play an essential role in the skin. Both of them are responsible for making your skin firm and flexible. Microneedling encourages the stimulation of these proteins to provide you with beautiful skin.
Furthermore, besides the cosmetic benefit of microneedling, one can also use it for medical purposes. Professionals also utilize microneedling to help treat people who suffer from alopecia areata, a condition that makes a person lose body hair, and hyperhidrosis, where one sweat too much than the body normally should.
Exceptions
Not everyone can undergo microneedling. Even when it’s generally not that invasive, it is recommended to have a qualified medical professional do it. Moreover, it can have side effects such as bleeding. People who have health conditions involving problems with wounding or bleeding, like diabetes, may not be the best persons to undergo microneedling.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is probably the most well-known among the three treatments. Like the two other treatments, acupuncture is a procedure where thin, sharp needles are punctured into the body. This is also the oldest known one, which dates back thousands of years in ancient China.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
The purpose of acupuncture, according to traditional Chinese medicine, is to balance one’s life force. Despite generally being considered pseudoscience, western medicine still recommends using acupuncture as part of treatments to help certain conditions. They discovered that these procedures stimulate the central nervous system, muscles, and tissues and have successfully helped patients with their conditions.
A qualified acupuncturist performs acupuncture. One would have to have a master’s degree and units in acupuncture to be one. Moreover, the needles used in the procedure are sterilized and regulated to ensure safety.
People who undergo acupuncture typically feel little pain during the insertion of needles. Furthermore, the procedure can be more than just the needles. Sometimes, the needles could also be heated, or minimal electric current could be used.
While not many people are convinced of the effects of acupuncture, it has helped many patients struggling with conditions like muscle pain, headaches, menstrual cramps, and more. Many people have reported feeling a lot better and more relaxed afterward.
Exceptions
Despite the positive results brought by acupuncture, it is not for everyone. Specific risks are present for pregnant people, with a pacemaker, or with disorders or illnesses involving bleeding problems.
To Sum it Up
Needles make for an unlikely means of treating people with various conditions. But while proven effective, it would help to consult with a qualified medical professional if you can undergo either of the three treatments.
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