You may have heard of acupuncture, but do you know what it can treat? Having a greater understanding of this ancient Chinese medicine-based approach can help solve a variety of conditions and improve your quality of life massively.
Acupuncture can heal a variety of conditions by using needles to trigger various points on the skin. While the idea of needles piercing your skin can sound scary, it is actually a minimally invasive approach and stimulates nerve-rich areas of the skin’s surface. The way it works is by creating a tiny injury at the site of insertion, which doesn’t produce any discomfort but sends a signal to your brain telling it that it needs to respond.
There is evidence to suggest that acupuncture can treat a range of conditions, including the following:
- Anxiety (dental anxiety)
- Arthritis
- Insomnia
- Depression
- Acute pain
- Migraines
- Nausea
- Addiction
- Infertility
- Sinus congestions or nasal stuffiness
- Stress
- Skin appearance
- Gag reflex
- Temporomandibular joint dysfunction
- Bruxism
Around 30% of people experience some form of dental anxiety which can manifest as nausea, difficulty breathing and dizziness. These symptoms can be caused by the fear of pain, needles or anaesthetic side effects or even embarrassment or loss of control.
The dentist is not something to be worried about as staff members will always keep you safe and make sure you are comfortable. However, these symptoms, and dental anxiety in general, are very common. This can make going to the dentist a challenging ordeal. In a review of six trials with 800 patients, researchers used a point scale to measure anxiety and found that anxiety was reduced by eight points when given acupuncture as a treatment.
The Temporomandibular joint is a hinge joint connecting the jawbone to the skull on the side of your head. If the TMJ becomes misaligned and inflamed it can lead to Temporomandibular joint dysfunction which is a painful condition. Symptoms include pain or tenderness around the jaw, ears or temples, headaches, low jaw mobility, facial pain, toothache, and tinnitus. Acupuncture can be used to help with muscle relaxation and reduce muscle spasms of the TMJ. This can relieve pain, improve mobility, downregulate inflammation, reduce stress and promote relaxation.
If you’re looking for acupuncture to help you with dental anxiety, TMJ, gag reflex or acute pain, get in touch with
Manor Road Dental, your local dentist in Swansea. We’re a private dentist based in Swansea and, as well as dental care, we also offer acupuncture to help you live comfortably and pain-free.
Get in touch with our team today.