Acupuncture for Pain Management

If medications and other treatments have failed in improving your pain condition, it’s may be time to think about trying acupuncutre therapy that is proven to give significant long term pain releif without out the side effects effects of drugs and surgery.

Read on to find out about;

• How Effective is Acupuncture for Pain?
• What Type of Pain Can Acupuncture Treat?
• How Does Acupuncture Actually Work for Pain?
• How Fast Does Acupuncture Work For Pain?
• How Long Does Relief last with Acupuncture?
• Does Acupuncture Need a Referral?
• Acupunture for Pain- A Safe Alternative

Acupuncture is a wise choice for people suffering from chronic pain, pain medications are not healing the cause of the pain, acupuncture is an opportunity to change direction from increasing dosages and types of drugs, steriods injections and eventually surgerys.

Acupuncture targets the root cause of pain and inflammation, helping your body repair and restore balance—without harmful side effects.

Acupuncture helps prevent surgery and stimulates the body to strengthen and repair itself as it is designed to do.

For people suffering with chronic acupuncture can be life changing.

Acupuncture offers an effective pain management solution for pain conditions caused by genetics, aging, surgery or injury , it can be used for pain in the lower back, neck, jaw, shoulders, hip, knee and feet.

How Effective is Acupuncture for Pain?

Can it help Inflammation?

Numerous studies support acupuncture's efficacy in pain management, one large-scale study involving 454,920 participants all with chronic pain conditions that included headaches, low back pain, and osteoarthritis found that acupuncture was 76% effective in relieving their pain.

Another long term study in Korea revealed people with chronic lower back pain that received acupuncture needed less surgery, compared to those who had chronic lower back pain and used medications.

The causes of the chronic lower back pain in the participants of the study included scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis, spondylosis, disc degeneration, dislocation, and bulged discs.

What Type of Pain Can Acupuncture Treat?

Acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to treat pain, today there is an abundance of scientific studies providing proof that acupuncture is effective in treating the following conditions;

• Osteoarthritis
• Migraines
• Headaches
• Lower Back
• Sciatica
• Whip Lash
• Neck pain
• Knee pain
• Herniated disc
• Radiculopathy
• Shoulder pain
• Plantar fasciitis
• TMJ disorders
• Post Op. pain
• Cancer Pain
• Fibromyalgia
• Peripheral Neuropathy
• Ankylosing Spondylosis
• Degenerative Joint diseases
• Trauma/surgery-related pain
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Repetitive Strain Injury
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome

How Does Acupuncture Benefit Pain

Acupuncture helps alleviate pain and inflammation through multiple biological mechanisms.

When an acupuncture needle is inserted into specific structures in an affected area and stimulation is applied (such as electro-acupuncture), the body responds in four main ways:
1. Local Anti-Inflammatory Response: Acupuncture triggers the release of natural anti-inflammatory chemicals in the targeted area.

2. Pain Signal Modulation: It decreases pain signals sent to the brain, reducing perceived pain intensity.

3. Release of Endorphins: Acupuncture stimulates the release of natural pain-relieving endorphin hormones.

4. Tissue Regeneration: Growth factor hormone is released and stem cells are attracted, stimulating repair and regeneration of damaged structures helping for long term improvemen

How Fast Does Acuuncture Reduce Pain

How quickly acupuncture works varies according to each individual situation, most feel some relief after their first treatment but chronic or severe the condition may require 3 or 4 treatments to begin to feel sustained reduction of pain intensity, frequency or duration.

It is recommended to have an acupuncture at least once or twice per week initially until pain is diminished then treatments are spread further apart until cause is resolved or periodic treatments are done for optimal management of pain or symptoms.

How Long Does Pain Relief last with Acupuncture?

High quality trials of 17,922 people receiving a course of twelve acupuncture treatments two to three times per week for chronic pain conditions found that they kept 90% of the benefits after 12 months, the conditions treated included; low back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, osteoarthritis of the knee, headache and migraine.

Initially a single acupuncture treatment for chronic or severe conditions may give pain relief that lasts for 1 to 3 days for pain to return with less intensity, with consecutive treatments pain reduces further and relief lasts longer.

As improvements continue changes to the number and frequency of treatment are adjusted until resolved or periodic maintenance treatment is done.
It is important the treatments are performed within 2 -5 days apart initially in severe cases of pain for full benefit, less severe or recent pain may only require once per week.

What do you need to get started?

Acupuncture is an effective complementary therapy that can be combined with other pain management strategies with or without a referral from a Pain Management Specialist, Chiropractor or Physical Therapist.

There are no medications contra-indicated with Acupuncture and can be used in taking any medications including blood thinners or other pain medications.

• Can be integrated with physical therapy, chiropractic care, and pain management treatments.
• Enhance the effectiveness of opioids and NSAIDs, allowing for lower dosages and reduced side effects.
• Aids in post-surgical recovery by reducing pain, accelerating healing, and preventing scar tissue formation.

Acupuncture an Alternative to Drugs & Surgery?

Among pain management options, acupuncture is one of the safest, with minimal side effects, this stands in contrast to the risks associated with common over the counter and prescription pain medications:

• NSAIDs (e.g., Advil, ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac): Long-term use increases the risk of peptic ulcers, acute renal failure, stroke, and heart attack.
• Opioids (e.g., Codeine, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone): Prolonged use can lead to addiction, digestive issues, and opioid-induced hyperalgesia, a condition where patients experience increased sensitivity to pain.

The side effects that can be occasionally experienced with acupuncture is a temporary bruise or red mark where the needles are placed.

Why You Should Try Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a proven, safe, and effective method for managing pain that can prevent the need for surgery in some cases, whether used alone or in conjunction with other therapies, it offers long-term relief without the risks associated with medications or surgery.

If you're seeking a natural, effective, science-backed proven approach to pain management, acupuncture is a compelling option worth trying.