We find acupuncture really helps to treat pain. We can treat pain that is recent or long term. We can also give you advice to help your symptoms. Small life style changes can really help. Diet and exercise are particularly important.
More and more people are turning to acupuncture to treat their pain. A big plus of acupuncture treatment is virtually no side effects. NHS doctors are beginning to use acupuncture along with other treatment, but the availability is very limited.
NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) guidelines recommend acupuncture for lower back pain.
Chronic pain affects around 8% of UK population and it cost NHS billions of pounds. It can lead to depression and about 1 in 4 people lose their job due to painful conditions.
Pain killers often don’t work, & have side-effects, specially when used for a long time.
We frequently treat the following conditions:
Arthritis
Neck, back , knee , shoulder, elbow pain
Fybromyalgia
Trapped nerve
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Abdominal pain due to menstrual or digestive problems
HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE HELP PAIN
Chinese medicine says there a re energy pathways in our bodies. They call them meridians. They use acupuncture to unblock or bring new energy into the energy pathways.
This has not been measured by doctors, but the NHS are beginning to use acupuncture now because it works!
Some theories have been accepted as scientific explanations of acupuncture mechanisms such as Gate Theory of Pain and The Two Gate Control Theory.
Research has shown that acupuncture affects our biological systems. It can help body release hormones, disable receptors & activate anti-inflammatory chemicals. It is believed that this comes from acupuncture working on our nervous system. Acupuncture also promotes relaxation & reduces sensitivity to pain.
In a study published in “Archives of Internal Medicine” on 10th Sept 2012, researchers led by Andrew Vickers reported that acupuncture is effective in reducing chronic pain. This study reviewed 29 previous studies involving 17,922 people. It gave strong evidence that acupuncture benefits some types of chronic pain.