Help For Your Pain

By S. Hunter Thompson, DOM, DiplAc (NCCAOM) LAc ADS (NADA)

Turning Point - Foundation of Wellness

. https://foundationsofwellness.net

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Help For Your Pain

Pain can be debilitating when it is very intense or lasts over a long period of time. First line treatments for pain are analgesics, like acetaminophen, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen. When the pain is not managed by over-the-counter versions of those medications people often turn to prescription medications including opioids. Unfortunately, opioid use can be addictive. Acupuncture can reduce pain, which reduces the needs for prescription pain medications.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are both useful in managing pain. Acupuncture works to balance and smooth the flow of energy throughout the body. If we think of pain as a blockage in this flow of energy, we can see acupuncture as releasing this blockage. Less blockage equals less pain. This can be visualized by thinking of water in a garden hose. If you step on a garden hose the pressure builds up behind the obstruction. The hose swells and can even burst. In the same, way energy can build up in an area of the body that is blocked to create inflammation and pain. Acupuncture removes that blockage allowing the energy to flow more smoothly, thus alleviating some or all of the pain. Chinese herbal medicines work in the same manner and add the benefit of giving daily treatment without having to leave your home.

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines can accelerate the self-healing mechanism of the body. As we know, our bodies are able to heal various injuries on their own. If you cut your finger it heals by itself over time. Pain due to injuries can heal faster with acupuncture or herbal treatment, which direct blood flow and energy to the injured area and assists the body to have what it needs to heal. Additionally, acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines can help with the feelings of frustration or depression that often accompany pain.

A trained Chinese herbalist takes into consideration the person as a whole, the area and level of pain, and the movement of energy in the body. The herbalist then creates a special blend of herbs, which the patient prepares as a tea to be consumed one or more times a day. If preparing a tea is not convenient, Chinese herbal formulas can be prescribed as capsules or in pill form. The use of acupuncture and Chinese herbs together are extremely effective tools to assist with the healing process and to decrease or eliminate pain that occurs throughout the life cycle.