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Acupuncture Gives Effective Pain Relief

Written by Wendy Lind, RAc

Thursday, 11 September 2008

Acupuncture, a safe alternative to pain relief treatments, clears the blockage of vital energy within pathways in the body. These pathways are called meridians and each is linked to a specific organ or organ system. Acupuncture is more effective than traditional drug therapies because it treats the cause and effect of pain.

Pain caused by muscle or bone weakness, injury, physical trauma, physical strain, poor posture and many other factors can be relieved by acupuncture. Individuals suffering from Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis, Fibromyalgia, Carpel Tunnel Syndrome as well as headaches cause by stress, migraines, back pain and even pain from cancer treatments can experience pain relief using Acupuncture.

If you are considering acupuncture therapy, you will be well-served to keep a pain diary or record of your pain. Your Acupuncturist will be able to plan the most effective treatment therapy for you if you can succinctly and accurately describe the type of pain, how long you have experienced the pain and whether or not it is intermittent or constant. In other words, you should report if the pain is stabbing or dull and aching, confined to one area or radiating to extremities. Different treatment points are selected for each type of pain and with accurate information your Acupuncturist can treat you and relieve your pain in the shortest amount of time.

Each organ in your body corresponds to a specific pain and that organ needs to be stimulated to bring about pain relief. That is the first of three general steps in acupuncture therapy. The energy and blood flow to nourish the entire body and also targets the specific areas experiencing pain. Then the appropriate meridian to tap into is determined. Finally, the specific insertion points for the needles are mapped out.

The stainless steel needles an Acupuncturist uses are about the same thickness as a human hair. When they are inserted in to the identified treatment points, a message is sent to your brain via your central nervous system. When the signal is received, the brain releases endorphins, a natural brain chemical that helps in pain suppression, into your body.

A personalized treatment plan will be developed by your Acupuncturist. The plan will consider the nature and source of the pain, i.e., chronic, radiating, result of injury, etc., as well as your significant medical history. The needles that are inserted during the treatments will be left in place for several minutes. The actual duration will be determined by your response to treatments, which will be scheduled for several weeks out, until you realize long-term pain relief.

Often pain sufferers turn to over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications or powerful prescription drugs from a doctor. Both of these options can be harmful and both anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant mediations can cause adverse side effects. This treatment option only provides temporary pain relief. Acupuncture results in long-term pain relief with no adverse side effects that can limit your activities or potentially harm your body and interact with other medications.

Acupuncture does not provide a one size fits all, instant cure for pain suffers. It takes time to restore your body's energy systems to their properly balanced state. Some symptoms, though, may be diminished after only one treatment. The number of treatments your Acupuncturist determines you will need to achieve complete pain relief will depend upon several factors including how long you have been in pain, the cause and nature of the pain as well as how quickly you respond to treatment.

Acupuncture offers a holistic approach to pain relief, treating not only the pain but also the cause of the pain. With no adverse side effects, acupuncture is a safe alternative for pain relief.

The Article Author:

Are you tired of living with back pain? Have you given up on traditional medicine? If the answer to these questions is 'Yes", check into acupuncture , a safe and effective method of pain relief.

Acupuncture also brings relief to four-footed - Washington, Oct 27 (IANS) Tiny, sharp needles brought Gypsy, a horse, much needed relief at a Maryland veterinary centre.
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