Pain Relief

Chinese medicine is an effective therapy for the treatment of various pain disorders. Each condition a patient presents with is treated based on a very specific diagnosis that acupuncturists make after a thorough evaluation. Western medical diagnosis can prove helpful in treating muscular-skeletal complaints, but is not necessary in order to treat from a Chinese medicine perspective. Many conditions including   sciatica, bulging discs, herniated discs, or pinched nerves can effectively be treated with Chinese medicine. Treatment is based primarily on the location and quality of the pain. Determining the pathway of pain (affected meridian), allows for specific placement of the needles in order to alleviate the pain. The goal in treating pain is to move the congestion of “Qi” in the affected meridians. By releasing the tension of congested “Qi” more blood is able to come to the compromised area. This allows the muscles to relax and regain their proper function.  

Many other modalities, in addition to acupuncture, are used to treat pain. Liniments and plasters are often used in addition to acupuncture therapy to facilitate the healing process. Tui na (Chinese massage) is another important modality used to encourage the flow of “Qi” and blood through the meridians. Cupping is an ancient practice still used in many countries to treat pain. Glass cups are placed on specific areas of the body after creating a vacuum that gently lifts the muscle off the body to bring greater blood flow to the affected area. Moxibustion (warming therapy) is another technique used to treat pain. Topical herb compresses or internal herbal medicine can also be prescribed to help speed the recovery of injuries or treat chronic pain.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recognized the ability of acupuncture to treat pain.   According to a 1997 clinical study by the NIH panel, acupuncture is helpful in treating nausea caused by surgical anesthesia and cancer chemotherapy, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, connective tissue pain, lower back pain, carpal tunnel, menstrual cramps and assists in stroke rehabilitation. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) funded the longest and largest randomized, controlled clinical study of acupuncture ever conducted. The findings were published in the December 21, 2004, issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. Overall, those who received acupuncture had a 40 percent decrease in pain and a nearly 40 percent improvement in function compared to baseline assessments.   The public's awareness of the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy for pain treatment has rapidly increased over the last five years.

There are little to no side effects to acupuncture treatments. This is a welcome benefit for those that are concerned about the adverse effects of pain medicine, steroids, and surgery. Practitioners at the Chinese Acupuncture Clinic have assisted hundreds of patients in regaining their quality of life by relieving pain.

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