Acupuncture for Pain Relief
Research has shown that acupuncture can provide effective relief for many types of pain.
Studies show that acupuncture after surgery decreases pain by 22-36% and decreases the amount of painkillers needed by 42%.
Why is it important to reduce pain medications and opioid use?
Numerous side effects arise from the use (and overuse) of medications for pain management. Serious side effects include addiction/dependence, kidney or liver damage, impaired cognition, constipation, and more.
A recently published study shows that the use of narcotic pain pills actually rewires the brain to feel more pain and be more sensitive to pain longterm. This is unsustainable, unhealthy, and unethical for the healthcare industry.
Acupuncture is a safe and effective way to manage and reduce pain without side effects while also encouraging your body's tissues to heal, repair, and resist further injury. Research on acupuncture for pain relief has also been shown to provide lasting results, with pain relief lasting up to 12 months after a course of acupuncture treatment. An informational PDF overview of acupuncture for pain relief can be downloaded by clicking here.
If you are unsure if acupuncture can help with your specific pain condition, call our office at (385)242-0649 or email info{at}flowacupuncture.org to answer any questions you may have.
Relief from Chronic
Musculoskeletal Pain
Acupuncture has been proven to relieve numerous types of chronic pain. Common areas treated effectively with acupuncture include chronic pain in the neck, upper back, low back, sciatic pain, knees, hands, and feet. Virtually any area of the body can be treated for pain relief, and although you may experience pain in one area of your body - acupuncture points may be used in the arms, legs, ears, and head to effectively treat the area.
Relief from
Arthritis and Joint Pain
Acupuncture combined with moxibustion is an effective way to relieve pain and stiffness from arthritis and other degenerative joint conditions. Although it is not a 'cure' for this degeneration, acupuncture can help slow the progression and provide relief while improving quality of life and mobility.
Relief from Visceral
(internal organ) Pain
Many chronic pain syndromes involve pain on the inside of the body, with no known cause. This can be very puzzling for doctors and frustrating for patients who are suffering with no answers. Most common locations of this type of pain is in the chest, stomach, or pelvis. A review of 46 acupuncture studies found that acupuncture reduced visceral pain and induced significant changes in neuronal (brain and nerve) activity as well as reduced levels of pain/inflammation-related cytokines and neurotransmitters in the brain-gut axis. Your acupuncturist may refer you out to your primary care physician to rule out any serious causes of the pain (if this has not already been done) before starting a treatment plan. Acupuncture may be an effective way to reduce and manage visceral pain without pain medications and improve quality of life.