In treating addiction, the benefits of acupuncture are relaxation, and release of tension. According to World Health Organization (WHO) traditional Chinese acupuncture “maps out the subtle networks and interrelationships that reveal our bodies to be dynamic, cellular ecosystems.”
Life energy, called “chi” passes through the body via meridians which can become blocked as a result of stress and trauma. With acupuncture, needles are inserted through the skin to the sites of blockage along the meridian lines, which assists to clear natural energy fields and so restore good health to the body.
Equipment used for acupuncture is fine sterile needles. Release of tension points in the body can also be achieved by cupping, massage and laser treatments.
Although the practice of acupuncture lacks a supportive scientific evidence base, WHO accepts the many studies which have been carried out on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as providing evidence of success in its applications.
Many people, tired of using drugs, turn to TCM and the benefits of acupuncture for the relief of migraines and back pain, two of the most prevalent non life threatening ailments of our time.
Benefits of acupuncture include help as a fertility treatment, for children’s health, to relieve sinus and inflammation, for weight loss and many types of skin problems.
As with all types of natural holistic remedy, acupuncture relies upon the skill and experience of the practitioner and places no reliance upon drugs.
According to a 2002 report by the Journal of American Medicine Association, in tests to confirm the efficacy of acupuncture as s single means to treat cocaine addiction, results were inconclusive. Early reduction of cocaine use was not maintained during or post treatment, with less than half of the cocaine addicts showing reduction in cocaine use as a result of the treatment. It is noted that attendances at related counseling sessions were low.
This evidence suggests that acupuncture alone will provide some level of addiction relief, but that further assistance and support is needed to obtain full and permanent recovery from cocaine and drug addiction.
The report confirms the general efficacy of counseling to support recovery from drug addiction. The use of auricular acupuncture, as defined by the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA), would appear to be one avenue of providing a reduction of physical tension and stress to achieve temporary relief from the symptom of addiction.
Best results for addiction recovery and complete detoxification would seem to occur when holistic drug counseling is central to the treatment program, with any of a variety of holistic treatments made available to support recovery.
When looking for a holistic means of recovery from addiction, the most important factor to take into consideration is a focus on dealing with and resolving the emotional conflicts that cause pain, stress and tension in the body. Without effective resolution of the causes of addiction, any treatments that provide relief will not be effective long term. When triggers for drug use occur, the tension will simply increase to the point where the addict feels a compulsive need to use drugs again in order to get relief.
The use of psychoactive substances is the only means by which an addict will achieve satisfaction until he is enabled to resolve the emotional conflicts that cause emotional and physical pain. Whilst the benefits of acupuncture and other holistic treatments for the relief of physical symptoms assist, long term and full recovery from addiction is only achieved, in a drug free context, with the focus on holistic counseling methods to resolve emotional conflict.
