Effects of pain
Everyone has muscular-skeletal pain from time to time. For most of us it is temporary and manageable. But for some it is ongoing and debilitating. People with pain which is uncontrolled can also experience anxiety, depression and cognitive impairment (e.g forgetfulness, inability to concentrate). Strong acute pain or chronic pain can have a profound impact on the person, their lifestyle, family and friends.
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Western medicine’s response
Everyone has used drugs for pain relief at some time or other. However, the drugs taken are absorbed into the body through the digestive system and the whole body gets a flush of the chemical. This creates the possibility of unwanted side effects in the digestive system or other areas of the body.
Why choose acupuncture for pain management?
Acupuncture can be used to help a wide variety of muscular-skeletal conditions including back pain, headaches, shoulder pain, repetitive strain injury, sciatica etc. It is especially helpful as a treatment option for people with sporting and overuse injuries.
More and more people are seeking the benefits of acupuncture to manage pain because it is a drug-free option which focuses both on the cause of the pain and the pain itself. Acupuncture works in two ways – it provides pain relief and it also focuses on healing the cause of the pain.
How does acupuncture work?
Traditionally trained acupuncturists will do a full assessment of your symptoms and will examine your body to determine where it is out of alignment and why you are experiencing pain. XRays and Ultrasounds (if available) can provide a valuable insight into the interaction of your muscles with the skeleton. Tight muscles put pressure on the skeleton which pulls it out of alignment, eventually causing pain.
Acupuncture can go directly to the muscle where the tightness is occurring. The placement and use of the needle is critical. Once the tightness is released it enables the body’s natural healing processes to begin. The muscle is similar to a hose. If a hose is blocked then the water can’t flow, but unblock it and the water can flow to wherever it is needed.
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