Acupuncture for Pain Low Back, Sciatic, Knees, Shoulders, Neck and Much More

By Anne C. Crowley, MAc, LAc

More Pain Management & Rehabilitation Articles

Acupuncture for Pain Low Back, Sciatic, Knees, Shoulders, Neck and Much More

Pain originates from all kinds of imbalances in the body. Common Chinese diagnoses include

Wind in the Channels that cause pain

Cold (often accompanied by Damp) in the Channels causing pain

Heat in the Channels typically a recent injury to the body

Blood Stasis pain that has been there a long time

The object is to relieve the obstruction that is causing the pain. This is done with acupuncture needles sending electrical energy down the channel to relieve the obstruction. Also herbs are prescribed to free the channel and rid it of the obstruction, e.g. cold, damp, wind, heat, blood stasis.

Acupuncture treatment and particularly the herbs are specifically designed for your pain, not just a pain.

So, once we determine the underlying climatic condition (wind, cold, heat, damp, or stasis), we begin eliminating the obstruction to relieve the symptoms. Chinese medicine takes this a step further and looks at the root of the problem. Is this condition caused by a deficiency in the body a deficiency of blood or Qi (energy life force) or is it caused by an excess condition too much buildup within the body. An example would be dampness. Dampness in itself is excess, but its cause may be very different. If a person's constitution is so weak that the spleen/pancreas cannot transform the dampness, then there will be a buildup. This can happen with weaker, or frail people, or people with eating disorders. The spleen can undergo much damage with eating disorders or irregular eating and therefore cause the underlying or root deficiency condition. On the other side there can be a damp buildup due to overeating. The spleen/pancreas gets overtaxed (as in diabetes) and cannot transform the dampness. In this case we are treating an excess condition, draining the dampness, and stimulating the spleen to transform.

People with fibromyalgia often have dampness built up in the muscles. The treatment strategy is to remove the damp but getting the Qi to flow more freely in the body. This is done with acupuncture and herbs.

Damp and cold can build up in joints from either a buildup in the body or exposure to climatic conditions. Joints that hurt more during rainy times most probably have cold and damp in them. The idea is to rid the joint and channel of the cold and damp, and remove the obstruction. The result should be reduced or eliminated pain.