Pain Management

Acupuncture has been used in East-Asian medicine to effectively treat pain for thousands of years; presumably by activating the body’s natural pain killers. We now have a large body of research that can explain how acupuncture works on cellular, neurological and biochemical levels to reduce pain. While opioid use is reaching epidemic proportions with profound social consequences, acupuncture provides a reliable, drug-free treatment method for all types of pain. 

Locally, acupuncture increases blood flow as well as anti-pain and anti-inflammatory biochemicals. Importantly, acupuncture is also able to communicate with the brain to create long term changes in pain reception which explains why patients notice long term pain reduction weeks to months after treatments. Treatments are most effective when received multiple times per week over the course of two to eight weeks. Maintenance treatments are very effective once the pain is under control and range from once per week to once per month to once every few months depending on the condition.

In addition to acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, massage, herbal therapies and food based medicine are used to treat pain. Postural assessment, stretching and strengthening are important pillars that are often added to the management strategy as well.