Acupuncture Treatments Can Be an Effective Tool in Pain Management
Acupuncture has been a staple of Chinese medicine for over 2,500 years. It centers on the concept of qi (pronounced “chee”), or the vital flow of energy through the body. According to the tenets of acupuncture, there are 2,000 points in the body and 20 pathways, also known as meridians. The practice of acupuncture treatments involve the application of thin metallic needles to strategic points in the body for the purpose of restoring the flow of energy.
Licensed practitioners use FDA- approved needles. Acupuncture needles are 20 times thinner than hypodermic needles. Often, patients respond to the treatment by saying they feel tingly, relaxed and energized. Needles may be applied for a few seconds or up to 30 minutes. Acupuncture stimulates the brain and the spinal cord, affecting the central nervous system. The body responds in part by releasing its own naturally-occurring chemicals.
Among these chemicals are opioid peptides, which have an analgesic, or pain-killing, effect. Endorphins, another of the body’s natural pain alleviators, can be released through the stimulation of electromagnetic points in the body. Pain management in Ventura County that incorporates acupuncture can reduce pain by altering the secretions of neurotransmitters and neurohormones relating to the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Acupuncture is thought to have a positive effect on the immune system, enabling recovery.
Acupuncture treatments are often used successfully in conjunction with other techniques for pain management in Ventura County to address lower back pain, headache, carpal tunnel, and other ongoing physical discomforts. As an adjunct therapy, and depending upon the type and extent of the pain, patients may opt to receive from three to ten acupuncture treatments. Acupuncture can serve as part of an individualized therapeutic plan address and relieve chronic pain from a number of angles. Combined with other medical treatments, attention to nutrition, beneficial exercise and positive changes in lifestyle, acupuncture may contribute substantially to pain relief and overall well-being.
By Dr. James Lin
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