Acupuncture and Chronic Pain Management

From post-surgery and debilitating medical conditions to migraine headaches and natural aging people have to deal with all kinds of pain. Common areas of chronic pain include the back, neck, joints and shoulders where people will complain of quick sharp pains to dull and lengthy pain that inhibits their daily activities. There are many ways to treat pain including surgery, drug therapy and the alternative healing method known as acupuncture. If you have tried surgery or medication to treat pain and have little or no success you may want to consider acupuncture treatment that has proven to be successful in treating many types of pain conditions.

A national survey recently discovered over 25% of Americans report experiencing pain that lasts for more than one day. Everyone will have sudden pain due to a number of causes but when pain lasts for days on end and forces someone to miss work because they can't get out of bed due to shooting back pains then it's time to seek out treatment. Some people may experience pain due to a recent injury or have had a debilitating condition worsen over the years. For many living with pain is just a part of life but often this pain can become too intense to ignore and will require some form of medical attention. From over the counter drugs such as Advil or Tylenol to prescription medications and rehabilitation people have a number of choices for managing pain.

Though there is some skepticism from doctors and other professionals in medicine about the success of acupuncture it is actually the oldest known form of healing in the world. Originating in China over 3,000 years ago the practice of strategically placing fine needles on specific pressure points on the body to re-direct energy and improve the internal balance has helped many people deal with all kinds of pain. Though the success rate varies the same can be said about surgery and drug therapy. Not everyone who has reconstructive surgery or takes a specific form of medication eliminates chronic back and neck pain. Acupuncture is considered an alternative healing therapy and many people will try it to avoid the high cost of hospital bills and expensive medications.

Results of the success of acupuncture treatment vary depending on the patient and the condition. Acupuncture is regularly used to treat migraine headaches, chronic lower back pain, menstrual cramps, Carpal tunnel syndrome and Tennis elbow. By stimulating specific points on the human body, most often by inserting the needle through the skin, acupuncturists try to regulate the flow of vital energy, or 'qi', along a series of pathways called meridians. While some patients may not experience any noticeable change others have attributed acupuncture with eliminating chronic pain completely. As studies indicate, believing in the practice can have a significant impact on whether or not it works. Of course, the same holds true with medications and has been proven through case studies done with placebos. If you are trying to manage recurring pain and want to try a less costly method of treatment than surgery or prescription drugs, look into acupuncture.