Have pain? Acupuncture may help

If you have pain problems, you are not alone nor special. Studies have shown that Australia, like many other western countries, is experiencing pain epidemic^[1]. A random survey in Brisbane revealed that 19% percent of individuals over the age of eighteen were currently or regularly suffering from pains^[1]. With the increase of age, people are more likely to have pain problems. Pain happens when your body reacts to physical injury, stress, and/or emotional upset. Back, head, neck and leg are most common pain areas. Pain, especially chronic pain can be very frustrating and significantly lower patients’ life quality.

Traditionally, in the western world, pain was largely managed by medical profession, chiropractors and physiotherapists. Nowadays acupuncturists are playing a more and more important role in pain control. According to pain-education website^[1], 85% of GPs are pleased to refer patients for acupuncture treatment.

What is Acupuncture? Acupuncture is an alternative therapy that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of needles to specific points (called acupuncture points) on the body. Acupuncture has been practiced as a critical technique of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for a long time. Acupuncture involves various stimulation techniques including acupuncture point needling, electro-acupuncture, and dorsal column stimulation. According to the TCM theory, human body has certain pathways (or "meridians") to carry "chi" (a type of vital energy) throughout the body. If these pathways are blocked, the “chi” cannot flow smoothly. As a result, a person feels pain and unwell. Stimulating the acupuncture points can clear up blockages and restore the patient’s health and vitality. Acupuncture can be effective in pain relief, infertility treatment, disease control and prevention as well as general health improvement. The Chinese acupuncture theory has also been supported by western knowledge as noted by Melzack^[2]. It was claimed that placing needles at the trigger points can relax "stuck" myofibrils, increase local blood supply, and release spinal dynorphin and encephalin.

Why has acupuncture become more popular? A simple answer is “it works for certian conditions”. Research has shown that Chinese acupuncture can help in relieving some acute and chronic pain. The pain-education website^[1] presented an intensive review given by Richardson and Vincen^[3] which shows that the well trained acupuncturist have much higher success rates than those associated with placebo response. The Patient's Opinion in New Zealand and Australia presented in the same website ^[4] based on a report in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 5(1): 13-18, 1985, reveals that acupuncture therapy helped greatly in the treatment of Chronic Head, Neck and Neck-Related Pain for the most of responders.

Wong^[5] has also reported that acupuncture could be effective, possibly more effective than medication, in treating Migraines. Acupuncture could benefit people with the following conditions:

· Chronic Tension Headaches

· Osteoarthritis

· Chronic Low Back

· Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

· Menstrual Cramps

· Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (also known as "TMJ")

· Tennis Elbow

However, Wong also mentioned that the effectiveness of acupuncture for pain relief needs more studies.

Acupuncture also showed effectiveness for treating Strains and Sprains^[6].

It should be emphasized that different types of pain need different treatments. Even the same person with the same type of pain, the treatments could vary between different days because of the changing conditions. Therefore, it is important to find a professional acupuncturist to help you. As only 15% of GPs practise acupuncture themselves^[1], professionally trained Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners play a more important role in pain management using acupuncture and other TCM techniques such as moxibustion. A good TCM practitioner will identify the underlying imbalance inside your body and adjust your body back to the balanced conditions using customized treatments. A good TCM practitioner will also give lifestyle advice to help you prevent, or at least reduce the reoccurrence of the pain.

Some people may concern that acupuncture hurts. It is often over-worried. In most cases, acupuncture does not produce sharp painful feelings. So if you are suffering from a pain, acupuncture treatment that is provided by a professional acupuncturist may be able to provide help. But you should consult your doctor before taking acupuncture treatment, as Wong suggested^[5].

References:

1. http://www.pain-education.com/pain-management-and-acupuncture.html, accessed on 27 July 2011.

2. Melzack R. et al. Trigger points and acupuncture points for pain: correlations and implications. Pain 3: 3, 1977.

3. Richardson PH, Vincent PA. Acupuncture for the treatment of pain: a review of evaluative research. Pain 24: 15, 1986.

4. http://www.pain-education.com/acupuncture-therapy-in-the-treatment-of-chronic-head-neck-and-neck-related-pain.html, accessed on 29 July 2011.

5. Cathy Wong, Can acupuncture help with chronic pain relief? https://www.verywell.com/acupuncture-for-chronic-pain-relief-88708 , accessed on 3 November 2016.

6. Acupuncture treatment for sports injuries, http://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2014/12/18/acupuncture-treatment-sports-injuries, accessed on 4 November 2016.

Disclaimer

The knowledge materials presented on this website are provided for general information purpose only. They are not peer-reviewed. If you have health issues and/or need to make health care choices, you should seek advice from doctors and/or other registered health practitioners.