- pulled muscle or sports injury
- migraines or headaches
- arthritis
- sprained/strained ankle
- whiplash or other injury from auto accident
- lower back pain
- TMJ
- tennis elbow
- menstrual cramps
Using acupuncture is a safe alternative to traditional Western medicine. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine notes that "there are fewer adverse effects associated with acupuncture than with many standard drug treatments (such as anti-inflammatory medication and steroid injections) used to manage painful musculoskeletal conditions."
How does it work?
From an Oriental medicine point of view pain is considered stagnation of Qi (chi/energy) and blood and it can either be an excess or deficiency situation. Excess Qi is relieved by massage or touch and a deficiency of Qi is usually more painful upon touch. If you have pain in your neck and shoulders this is usually an excess. And if you have pain in your lower back area this is usually a deficiency of Qi. By determining where the pain is in your body and how bad it is on a scale of 1 to 10, we can determine if you have an excess or deficiency of Qi and blood.
During the initial appointment we will ask questions such as what is your pain on a 1 to 10 scale. Everyone may have a different idea of what 10 is but this way if you are at an 8 or 9 pain level initially and you leave your appointment at a 6 or 7 then we know that acupuncture does work for you so this is the beginning of your pain relief. With further treatments we continue to reduce pain and bring your pain level to a zero and at this point we continue maintenance to have lasting wellness.
How long does it take?
For acute pain that has been occurring for 3 months or less this will generally take 3-5 treatments. For chronic pain that has been occurring for more than 3 months healing will take longer depending on the injury. With chronic pain that took years to build up it can take a year or so to undo. Each time you leave though you will have improvement and by getting regular treatment we will help your body heal itself. Your body has the ability to heal itself and by using acupuncture we are encouraging your own systems to clear the Qi blockages, excesses, and deficiencies and allow the Qi and blood to flow as it should and create a natural homeostasis.
Real Patient Experience with Pain Relief
Over a year ago we had a patient come to Jade Star who was in her 30's and had been in pain since she was involved in a vehicle accident when she was 18 years old. This was a very traumatic accident that she was lucky to live through. Since the accident she had been suffering with back and neck pain on a daily basis and over the years she tried massage, chiropractic care, pain medication, muscle relaxers and physical therapy. Her pain was so bad that she had limited range of motion and difficulty enjoying time with her children and husband. She had mentioned it was hard to find joy with the pain dominating her life.When this patient first started treatment she was seen twice a week for the first 3 months with improvement after each visit. For the last 9 months we have been seeing her once a week to continue improvement and now that she has had such significant pain relief she is on a maintenance phase and has acupuncture treatment 2-3 times per month. Eventually she will be seen just as needed to help balance her Qi. Also, we would like to note that she is no longer on any of her medications!
Every patient and injury is unique but this is a good example of how an old injury can take time to heal but it will work and you can live your life pain free again. If you are living with pain either chronic or a recent injury, call us today to make an appointment to start your healing process. Acupuncture does work and it is safe! We can help you avoid harmful medications that will only cause other issues.
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