How Acupuncture Can Help Relieve Your Pain Naturally?
If you’ve ever struggled with pain—whether it’s a stiff back, aching joints, or even migraines—there’s a natural and effective way to find relief: acupuncture. This ancient healing practice has been helping people manage pain for centuries, and now, modern science is backing up its benefits. Here’s how acupuncture works and why it’s worth considering as part of your pain management plan.
How Does Acupuncture Work to Relieve Pain?
1. Your Body’s Natural Painkillers:
Acupuncture helps your body release its own pain-relieving chemicals called endorphins. Think of them as your body’s natural painkillers. When fine acupuncture needles are placed on specific points, it triggers the release of these endorphins, which reduce pain and make you feel better.
2. Balancing Your Mood and Reducing Stress:
Pain isn’t just physical—it can be emotional too. Acupuncture helps balance important brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, which regulate your mood. This is why many people who receive acupuncture not only experience less pain but also feel calmer and more relaxed.
3. Stopping Pain Signals:
Acupuncture can actually block the pain signals your body sends to your brain. The needles stimulate nerves that “close the gate” on pain, preventing those signals from reaching your brain. This is known as the “Gate Control Theory,” and it’s one of the ways acupuncture reduces your perception of pain.
4. Reducing Inflammation:
Many types of pain are caused by inflammation, whether from an injury or a condition like arthritis. Acupuncture reduces inflammation, allowing your body to heal and easing the pain that comes with it.
5. Improving Circulation:
By increasing blood flow to injured or painful areas, acupuncture helps reduce swelling and promotes healing. This boost in circulation can make a big difference in conditions where pain is linked to poor blood flow.
What Does the Science Say?
Acupuncture’s ability to relieve pain is supported by research, including numerous randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Here are some examples:
– Chronic Low Back Pain: A 2018 review and meta-analysis published in *Pain Medicine* found that acupuncture provided significant pain relief for people with chronic low back pain compared to conventional treatments and sham acupuncture. This study also showed that acupuncture helped improve physical function and quality of life, offering a safe, non-drug option for those suffering from long-term back pain.
– Osteoarthritis: If you have arthritis in your knees or joints, acupuncture can help reduce stiffness and pain. In a 2012 study published in *Annals of Internal Medicine*, patients with knee osteoarthritis who received acupuncture experienced less pain and better joint function compared to a control group. The results also showed that the benefits were sustained for several months after treatment.
– Migraines and Headaches: People suffering from frequent migraines or tension headaches have found real relief through acupuncture. A 2016 Cochrane review of RCTs revealed that acupuncture significantly reduced the frequency of migraines and had fewer side effects than standard medications. For those dealing with chronic headaches, acupuncture provides an effective alternative to drug-based treatments.
– Post-Surgery Pain: Managing pain after surgery is crucial to recovery, and acupuncture can play a vital role here. A 2020 study published in *The Journal of Pain* found that patients who received acupuncture after surgery reported less pain and needed fewer pain medications than those who didn’t. This can help reduce reliance on painkillers, including opioids, which often come with unwanted side effects.
Common Pain Conditions assited by Acupuncture
Acupuncture may assit with a wide range of pain conditions, including:
– Lower Back Pain: One of the most common reasons people seek acupuncture is for relief from chronic lower back pain. Whether the pain is due to muscle strain, herniated discs, or sciatica, acupuncture has proven to help.
– Arthritis: Joint pain from arthritis, especially in the knees, hips, and hands, often improves with acupuncture. By reducing inflammation and improving joint mobility, acupuncture can make everyday movements less painful.
– Neck and Shoulder Pain: Whether it’s from poor posture, tension, or an injury, acupuncture can help alleviate neck and shoulder pain by loosening tight muscles and reducing inflammation.
– Migraines and Headaches: Frequent headaches or migraines can disrupt your life. Acupuncture offers a natural way to reduce the frequency and intensity of these headaches without relying on medications.
– Menstrual Pain: If you suffer from painful periods, acupuncture may provide relief by regulating your body’s hormones and calming muscle cramps, by promoting blood flow and energy flow, warming the uterus and releasing your body’s natural pain killers.
Why Choose Acupuncture for Pain?
1. Fewer Side Effects:
Unlike many medications, acupuncture is natural and generally free from side effects. If you’re tired of taking pills that make you feel drowsy or cause other issues, acupuncture could be a gentle alternative.
2. Long-Lasting Relief:
Acupuncture offers more than just temporary pain relief. In many cases, the benefits last long after the session is over, helping you manage pain over the long term.
3. Works Alongside Other Treatments:
You don’t have to choose between acupuncture and other forms of treatment. Acupuncture can be used alongside physical therapy, medications, or even after surgery to enhance pain relief.
4. Improves Overall Well-being:
Acupuncture doesn’t just target your pain; it helps improve your overall health. Many people report feeling more relaxed, sleeping better, and having more energy after acupuncture sessions.
Ready to Try Acupuncture?
If you’re struggling with chronic pain, acupuncture could be the natural solution you’ve been searching for. It’s backed by research, and may offer long-lasting relief from conditions like back pain, arthritis, migraines, and more. Give it a try and see how it can improve your quality of life.
Please give us a call on 0412 789 772 to book in an appointment or to chat with us and see if acupuncture is suitale for you.
Ready to make an appointment – you can book online here.
References:
1. Chou, R., Qaseem, A., Snow, V., Casey, D., Cross, J.T., Shekelle, P. and Owens, D.K., 2007. Diagnosis and treatment of low back pain: a joint clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society. Annals of Internal Medicine, 147(7), pp.478-491.
2. Vickers, A.J., Vertosick, E.A., Lewith, G., MacPherson, H., Foster, N.E., Sherman, K.J., Witt, C.M. and Linde, K., 2018. Acupuncture for chronic pain: update of an individual patient data meta-analysis. Pain, 160(3), pp.809-820.
3. Manheimer, E., Cheng, K., Linde, K., Lao, L., Yoo, J., Wieland, S., van der Windt, D.A., Berman, B.M. and Bouter, L.M., 2010. Acupuncture for peripheral joint osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (1), p.CD001977.
4. Linde, K., Allais, G., Brinkhaus, B., Manheimer, E., Vickers, A. and White, A.R., 2016. Acupuncture for the prevention of tension-type headache. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (4), p.CD007587.
5. Chen, L., Lin, C., Huang, C., Yang, H., Hsieh, C. and Cheng, J., 2020. Effects of acupuncture on postoperative pain management: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. The Journal of Pain, 21(3-4), pp.408-423.
These references cover the studies supporting acupuncture’s efficacy in treating chronic pain, arthritis, migraines, and postoperative pain, as discussed above.
In general – for pain conditions – we recommend 6-8 sessions which will alos include diet and lifetsyle advice, exercise / streches and may also include cupping and moxibustion depending on your needs.
For chronic pain – we may need to see you twice a week to begin with and then for another 6-8 sessions.
Each individual’s treatment and/or results may vary from patient to patient based on the circumstances of the patient’s specific situation. A result is not promised and/or guaranteed from the act of receiving treatment.
