PAIN

Pain is a feeling triggered in the nervous system. It may be sharp or dull, off-and-on or steady, localized (such as back pain) or all over (such as muscle aches from the flu). Sometimes, pain alerts us to injuries and illnesses that need attention. Although pain usually goes away once the underlying problem is addressed, it can last for weeks, months, or even years. Chronic pain may be due to an ongoing condition (such as arthritis) or to abnormal activity in pain-sensing regions of the brain, or the cause may not be known.

According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey found that pain or musculoskeletal complaints accounted for 7 of the top 10 conditions for which people use acupuncture. Back pain was the most common, followed by joint pain, neck pain, severe headache/migraine, and recurring pain.

Research is showing that acupuncture activates opioid systems in the brain that respond to pain (turns on the body’s own drugstore).

Neuroimaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to look at the effects of acupuncture on various regions of the brain.

In 2005, NCCAM sponsored the “Neurobiological Correlates of Acupuncture” conference to discuss research challenges and directions in acupuncture neuroimaging research.

Side Effects and Risks

Acupuncture is generally considered safe and 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 like fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, and tennis elbow.

Experience Immediate Pain Relief

Seems to good to be true but it really happens.

After studying with Chinese masters over the past several years, I can now treat pain with fewer needles and acheive almost instantaneous relief. Sometimes one treatment is all that is needed, other times it takes a series of sessions.

Most often the treatment is far away from the injured or painful site, making the acupuncture more pleasing.

Chronic symptoms resolve quickly.