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Treat Pain with Acupuncture
Acupuncture is best known for its ability
to successfully treat pain. Pain itself is not a diagnosis, but rather an
indication or warning that there is a problem somewhere in the body. Many
times the exact location of pain points to where the problem is, as in the
case of elbow pain above an inflamed tendon. But in other situations the
site of pain may be related to problems far away, as in leg pain resulting
from a herniated disk pushing on a nerve in the back.
The intensity of the pain usually
indicates or warns how severe the problem is. Each person has a different
pain threshold, but pain levels that increase or do not lessen over time
point to something that needs attention.
And the circumstances surrounding the
onset of the pain are just as important. Was there an accident or incident?
Or did the pain gradually develop over a course of time or during a certain
period of life?
The characteristics of pain give
important information about what is causing the body to send this signal.
Once noticed, it is important to address the underlying problem that forced
the body to send a pain message, not just turn down the discomfort.
Otherwise the body will send out other warning signals until the core
problem is corrected.
How does acupuncture
stop pain?
There are many therapies that attempt to
stop pain. Most of them mask the pain while hoping the body is able to heal
itself or push the body to heal faster while offering limited pain relief.
Acupuncture is an extremely powerful and effective approach to treat pain
because it decreases pain levels as it stimulates the bodys healing
response. Acupuncture resolves pain by affecting several pain pathways and
healing responses at the same time:
raise endorphin levels and diminish the nervous systems
pain response
decrease inflammation and swelling
relax muscles and stop spasms
increase circulation to the local area
How many treatments
will I need?
This varies considerably based on the
specific condition being treated. Each person receives an individualized
treatment plan based on age, past medical history, lifestyle, treatment
goals and current pain status. Generally speaking however, acute pain (less
than 3 months duration) is often resolved in a short series of treatments
spaced close together and chronic pain requires consistent regular treatment
to achieve long-term pain relief.
How else will
acupuncture help me deal with my pain?
Almost every person finds acupuncture
treatments to be very relaxing. Many do not expect this effect, especially
dealing with painful conditions, but acupuncture balances various parts of
the body together. This results in a person feeling calm, peaceful and very
relaxed. Pain is stressful and can wear someone down causing irritability,
tension and insomnia. By relaxing the whole person, acupuncture also helps
eliminate these other negative aspects of pain. And it does so in a natural
way, with no negative side effects.
Acupuncture also looks at the entire
person, not just the one part that hurts. This means an acupuncturist will
offer suggestions for individual lifestyle improvements regarding exercise,
supplements and diet, sleeping and stress management techniques to help a
person improve health and decrease pain.
1. Acupuncture to treat arthritis
2. Acupuncture to treat back pain
3. Acupuncture to treat Fibromiyalgia
4. Acupuncture to treat headaches