Treating Chronic Pain With Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

May 15, 2012 by Paulfs93

Chronic pain, whether due to an injury, surgery, repetitive motion, or a medical condition such as arthritis, can make life difficult by limiting your physical body as well as your overall well-being and psychological and mental outlook. Chronic pain is not necessarily limited to any group of people and can affect anyone, anytime. Having chronic pain can lead to job related and connection stress, extra healthcare costs, missed work days, trouble sleeping, increased irritability, and also the inability to enjoy physical activities such as sports. Just how can acupuncture, herbal therapy, and Chinese medicine help with chronic pain and the many associated symptoms?

Acupuncture can address the pain specifically. No matter where relating to the body you are experiencing pain, there are acupuncture points that can help decrease the pain. Pain, in Chinese medicine, is usually unbalanced and stagnant Qi (power). Using acupuncture will:

o Promote healthy the circulation of blood in the injured location

o Increase the body’s defense mechanisms response to the suffering area

o Decrease inflammation in the tissues

o Improve the flow of Qi on the affected area

o Decrease the pain signals deliver to the brain to help you relax easier

o Decrease swelling in the affected area

o Decrease spasms that can cause pain

Acupuncture can treat any symptoms with chronic pain. In add-on to treating the pain directly, treatments can add acupuncture points to help with:

o Sleeplessness or insomnia brought on by the pain

u Emotional changes, such as irritability, anger, or frustration brought on by chronic pain

o Improving your general outlook about your issue

o Decreasing fatigue brought on by the pain

o Improving muscle and motor function that may have been lost

o Restoring digestive functions which may have been affected

o Restoring any decreased defense mechanisms function

o Decreasing the side effects from long term medication use

Herbal therapy can increase the therapeutic effects. Chinese herbs may come like liniments (oils) that could be massaged into a crippling area, or a customized herbal formula you drink as a tea. Both of these can continue the healing course of action after an acupuncture treatment.

Chronic pain can take a toll on your entire body, mind, and your attachments, making life very tricky and limiting. Acupuncture and herbal therapy can certainly help restore the balance to your Qi, treat any associated symptoms, decrease the source of the pain, and allow you to return to the pain free life you would like.

Rosana Surls provides books on chiropractic centennial