Pain Management
According to the traditional acupunture theory, pain is caused by a blockage of energy (Qi) flow through the body. Injuries can cause many types of blockage, such as spasms, swelling, inflammation, and bruising. While many conventional treatments simply mask the pain, acupuncture can effectively eliminate the roadblock to speed healing and clearly get to the bottom of one’s discomfort. This approach addresses not only the symptoms, but also the underlying cause of the pain.
Acupuncture produces pain management as well as physical relief by:
- Relaxing muscle spasms
- Reducing local inflammation and swelling
- Calming nerve irritation
- Releasing natural, pain killing opiates
- Improving blood flow, and speeding healing
LOWER BACK PAIN/SCIATICA
Typically, low back pain results from strains (muscle tears), sprains (overstretched ligaments), herniated disks, and sciatica (the pain that is the result of irritation of the sciatic nerve. This type of pain normally extends from the lower back through the buttocks and down to the leg). At our clinic, lower back pain and sciatica are the most common pain complaints. We have extensive experience identifying and treating pain of the lower back as well as sciatica.
SHOULDER/UPPER BACK PAIN
A variety of factors can lead to upper back or shoulder pain, including stress, poor posture, whiplash injury, and tendonitis of the shoulder joint. At Caring Hands Acupuncture, pain management therapy for individuals with upper back or shoulder pain may include a combination of acupuncture as well as certain types of traditional Eastern medicinal therapy, such as Korean/Chinese medical herbology.
Our acupuncturist will develop a safe, effective, and natural treatment plan to address your specific physical needs in order to properly treat your discomforts.
HEADACHES/MIGRAINES
Acupuncture treatment is most commonly sought out by individuals suffering from headaches that do not respond well to traditional pain medication, including migraines, tension headaches, and sinus headaches. Tension headaches are usually associated with stress, poor posture, vision problems, structural problems and/or physical injury. Such headaches will normally develop a high response rate to acupuncture therapy after just a few weeks of treatment. Sinus-related headaches require treatment of the underlying infection, and the draining of the sinus cavities. This can be accomplished easily with acupuncture pain relief therapy and herbal medicine.
Migraines, on the other hand, indicate a long-lasting imbalance in the body that require patience and consistency to treat successfully and effectively. After meeting with a western medical doctor/health expert to rule out other health conditions that may be causing the migraines, acupuncture pain relief therapy can begin. The treatment typically includes acupuncture/physical therapy combined with Chinese herbal medicine. It is important to commit to the acupuncture treatment at least twice a week for an average of about 8 weeks, regardless of whether a migraine is occurring after just a few weeks of treatment. After this period, there should be a noticeable reduction in the frequency and intensity of the migraines. Treatment should be continued once weekly for several more months with continual improvement and the proper annihilation of migraines.
Neck Pain
It’s no surprise that the back of the neck is a pretty awful place to get pain in.
There are many different factors and circumstances that could cause one to feel stiffness and pain in the neck, such as high blood pressure, circulation failure, muscle tension, and the vulnerability of spraining due to qi blockage in the neck area. In certain cases, the pain may go away after a good night’s sleep, but it is more common for the pain to get worse as it spreads and impacts daily life.
In Eastern medicine, stiffness usually points towards a lacking of qi and blood flow, or a blockage of said qi and blood. The neck is an especially important body part that connects the head to the rest of the body, and is the home to a very important acupoint known as the “Pung Ji”, which refers to a sensitivity to both internal and external “wind”. For instance, it is common for one to experience stiffness after having their neck exposed to cold wind over a long period of time. This type of discomfort is not exactly dangerous or long lasting, because it is caused by an external wind of low impact.
However, if the cause of pain is that of stress or high blood pressure (an internal “wind”), this could cause a far more serious problem. If an individual is naturally sensitive or anxious, and then receives external stresses, their cardiac energy and liver conditions will become weak. This will cause the qi to be stuck and stagnated in the neck area, causing stiffness and pain near the Feng Ji.
In acupuncture, it is common to use needles in order to “relax” the liver by regulating the stagnated energy and blood. If the pain is caused mostly due to tension in the muscles around the neck, the main focus will be pointed towards the rebalance and restoration of proper circulation by relaxing the tendons that are bunched together to cause discomfort, such as with the usage of cupping therapy.
Neck troubles are common in colder weathers and conditions, most often caused by circulation problems due to the temperature. This can often be treated by the means of moxa and stretching to relieve the tension in the area.
KNEE PAIN/ARTHRITIS
With traditional Oriental medicine, arthritis pain management is accomplished through a combination of acupuncture and herbs. Countless studies, such as one done by the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences* have demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach. The goal of treatment is to help the body heal naturally and with its own power by restoring normal blood circulation and energy (Qi) flow. Although arthritis can cause joint pain in any area of the body, knee pain is one of the most commonly treated arthritis-related conditions at our acupunture clinic in Flushing, New York.
REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY
Repetitive strain injuries, or injuries which result from repeated motion, typically respond very well to physical acupunture therapy, especially if pain management therapy is started earlier in one’s symptoms. The common goal in treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tennis Elbow, Golfer’s Elbow, and other common repetitive strain injuries is to stop the inflammatory process occurring in and around the overused tendons. In addition to acupuncture and herbs, allowing the area to rest is mandatory to produce maximum pain relief. Patients may also need to wear a supportive material to protect the area from aggravation during the recovery process.
GENERAL PAIN
Pain relief is one of the most common applications of acupuncture, and treatment can be effective for many types of pain. If you are suffering pain from a condition not described above, please feel free to contact our acupuncture clinic to discuss our pain management therapies. You can find out how to reach us in the ‘Contact Us’ section of this site. Many patients find that acupuncture was able to effectively treat their symtoms, even when many other treatment approaches were unsuccessful in finding a solution to their medical and health-realting concerns.
