What to Expect When Using Acupuncture As Pain Management Treatment
Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese practice that is quickly finding a niche in Western medicine, has long been used as a pain management treatment. Acupuncture as pain management treatment is considered a valuable complementary treatment to reduce both chronic and acute physical pain as well as emotional and mental issues.
When you go to your first appointment, plan on arriving early to give an adequate amount of time to speak with your acupuncturist. This will allow time for you to give a medical history and discuss specific trouble areas. In addition, it allows you to ask any questions that you may have without feeling rushed and offers a chance to make sure you feel comfortable with the qualifications of your practitioner in this particular pain management treatment.
You should wear comfortable, loose clothing that can be manipulated in case a sleeve, pant leg or other part of the material needs to be moved to access an area. Some practitioners will ask that you change into a gown to avoid these issues. You will likely be set up in either a recliner type of chair or on a table where you can lie down in a comfortable position for the duration of the session.
The acupuncturist will insert a series of small, solid, lightweight needles into the skin. They are not inserted deep and are not usually painful. You probably will feel little more than a superficial prick. The needle is used to remove blockages in your meridian’s energy flow, which then promotes healing. You may feel a light sensation or a brief “zing” as the energy, or “qi,” is released. This released energy is known to help both physical and emotional pain when using acupuncture as pain management treatment.
There are usually fewer than a dozen needles inserted in a session, although this can vary according to the issue at hand. Do not be surprised if the insertion point is a distance from where you feel pain. The pain is considered the symptom and this particular pain management treatment focuses on the root.
Once the needles are in, you will be left to relax for a half hour or so while the acupuncture works. Sit back, close your eyes let the healing energy flow.
By Dr. James Lin
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