While acupuncture may still be a foreign concept to many people in the US today, more and more people are taking advantage of its benefits, especially for the treatment of pain.
Acupuncture began in ancient China and is considered as “alternative” healthcare in the US. Acupuncturists use tiny needles that they insert at various points along the body’s natural channels of energy called “meridians.” By inserting the needles at those specific points, the flow of energy – “Qi” can be brought into proper balance.
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Acupuncture Helps Relieve Pain
As the body’s energy flow is brought into balance, endorphins are released which can have a major effect on the reduction of pain. Endorphins are tiny neurotransmitters in the human body which are also released as a result of excitement, exercise, or other activities. People who exercise feel the release of endorphins which is often referred to by terms like “runner’s high.”
After exercise or such activities, most people feel a sense of general wellness and lack of pain. That is due to the release of endorphins, and acupuncture can help the body obtain the same endorphin effect, and pain can be greatly reduced. But the endorphin effect created by acupuncture can be longer-lasting than with exercise or other activities. As the body’s energy flow is brought back into proper balance, the endorphins should begin to flow more regularly as well as the body begins to heal itself.
What does the research say?
According to a recent study published in The Archives of Eternal Medicine, researchers analyzed 29 studies involving almost 18,000 adults. They concluded that acupuncture worked better than usual pain treatment and slightly better than fake acupuncture (placebo control.) Fake acupuncture studied in research sometimes used needles but on different areas of the body.
The authors explained their statistical findings by using a pain scale of 0 to 100: The patients’ average baseline pain measured 60; it dropped to 30 on average in those who got acupuncture, 35 in those who got fake acupuncture, and 43 in the usual treatment group.
Why acupuncture over traditional medical treatment?
For the most part, traditional healthcare offers very limited treatments for most types of pain other than medications – pain relievers. While those medications can be effective in relieving the symptoms of pain, they are only temporary and often have very negative short and or long term side effects. Some pain relievers warn against driving or operating machinery after being taken. Some heavy prescription pain relievers can cause people to have an altered state of mind and can cause extreme drowsiness. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen can cause long term stomach damage if taken over an extended period of time.
Another downside to pain relievers is that the more they are taken, the less responsive the body becomes, and resistance is built up over time. Prescription pain relievers can also be very addictive and can potentially ruin a person’s life and health if addiction occurs.
Who uses acupuncture?
Acupuncture Helps Relieve Pain, many people use acupuncture, and even the professional sports industry is now beginning to take advantage of its effectiveness in a major way. Athletes can face severe and even chronic career-ending pain if not effectively treated. As cited above, traditional medical/medicine treatments are limited and have a major downside. That is why the Florida Panthers use Dr. Tony Willcox of Acupuncture Zen to treat many of their athletes.
In addition to pain relief, acupuncture is one of the best stress remedies available, and athletes, in particular, are prone to stress.
Should I try it?
If you are suffering from pain, there is really no good reason not to give acupuncture a try. Patients report that there is no pain or discomfort involved with treatment, and negative side effects are minimal to non-existent. Acupuncture can be used in combination with other treatments such as massage therapy, chiropractic, and even traditional medicine.
The best thing to do is begin to research, and if possible talk to someone who uses acupuncture and sees how it has helped them. Pain is something no one enjoys, and it can greatly affect a person’s well being and quality of life. Hopefully, this basic overview of how acupuncture can help will be useful to those in pain.
Contact us today to make an appointment with Dr. Tony Willcox, and let our Delray Beach Acupuncture help you. Dr. Tony is on the medical staff of the Florida Panthers NHL Hockey team and comes highly recommended.