Friday, May 23, 2008

Acupuncture in Brew City: Xiaodan Acupuncture

Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney made Milwaukee, Wisconsin a household name in the hilarious sitcom Laverne and Shirley. You know it, too, as the place where Old Milwaukee beer and Brewers’ baseball were born. However, there is traditionally little fun for those in brew city who suffer from chronic pain or other ailments. Now, even they can find relief at the Xiaodan Acupuncture clinic.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture, as practiced by clinics like Xiaodan Acupuncture in Milwaukee, is rooted in 3000 years of traditional Chinese medicine. As has been clinically substantiated, there are bioelectric currents that run through the human body. Qi (chi) are these currents, also known as meridians or connected channels.

Chinese medicine practitioners, like those at the local Xiaodan Acupuncture clinic, believe that when this flow is balance there is harmony in the body and it is healthy. However, when something interrupts that flow, then the body is in disharmony and unhealthy. It is the practice of acupuncture, then, that restores the balance in chi and health to the patient.

What are the Risks?

There are remarkably few risks to acupuncture performed by a professional, as seen at the Xiaodan Acupuncture clinic, but some patients have experienced minor bleeding after the needles are removed, bruising may occur at the puncture site, and some even experience dizziness.

However, these risks are far from commonplace. In fact, most patients have minimal if any discomfort at all. The greatest risk, as with any medical procedure that enters the human body, is infection. The risks of unsterilized needles in acupuncture are the same as in any medical facility, or anywhere the skin tissue is penetrated. More minor risks are simple infections at the site of penetration; however, more dangerous threats include hepatitis and HIV transmission.

Because of the risk of such pathogens, the United States mandates that ALL acupuncture needles are sterilized following a strict guideline. Additionally, most are of the single-use variety found in hypodermic needles at any western medical facility. It’s always wise, though, to watch the acupuncturist remove the needles from the sterilized packaging before allowing them to be used on your body.

Where can I go in Milwaukee?

The Xiaodan Acupuncture clinic is located at 10625 W. North Avenue; however, there are other places should that clinic still be too far away. Consequently, you may need to consult your handy hard bound version of the Milwaukee yellow pages, or an online version, for a professional acupuncture clinic nearer you and start living a healthier pain free life.

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