Unfortunately, most of us get the flu several times in our lifetime. Hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized each year due to complications from influenza.

The associated signs and symptoms are all to common: fever, sore throat, congestion, fatigue, muscle and body aches, runny nose, dry cough, sneezing, and watery eyes.

Colds are much less severe than the flu and cause less severe symptoms such as; nasal congestion, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, and headaches. Though it might make you feel lousy, getting a cold is not always a bad thing. Alternatively, colds remind us that the body’s resources are strong and vital, working to return you to a state of good health. However, if your immune system is already compromised, a cold could further weaken your body, leaving you open to a more serious illness.

Traditional Chinese medicine studies have suggested that using acupuncture as a preventative approach to colds and flu can reduce the incidence of upper respiratory tract infection and shorten the duration of the illness. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine work by re-balancing the body’s systems, regulating the body’s healing energies and enhancing the immune system.

Even though germs, bacteria, and viruses are everywhere – in the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the water we drink – according to Chinese medical theory, they do not cause disease. Illness occurs when certain organ systems are weak and out of balance. When our bodies are in a weakened and unbalanced state, a hospitable environment is created for germs, bacteria and viruses to thrive, leading to cold and flu.

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine are safe, natural, and effective ways to support the body’s self-regulating, self-balancing, and healing systems. If illness does occur, acupuncture can help you get back on your feet again, helping reduce prolonged illness without the use of medication and over the counter drugs.

Credits: Acupuncture Works