Acupuncture For Pain Management
Acupuncture gives you many health benefits. The most well-known benefit acupuncture gives you is pain management. Pain management and relief are great benefits of acupuncture, but you must also learn more about acupuncture to increase its effectiveness. Read on to find out how to get the most out of your acupuncture sessions.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture activates your body’s self-repair mechanisms to relieve your pain. Activating your body’s self-repair mechanisms is done by using needles to cause micro-injuries to stimulate your body into repairing itself. Also, your body normally releases a chemical called endorphins in response to injuries or stress. The acupuncture treatment enhances the release and distribution of the chemical without actually hurting or stressing you out.
This treatment inserts tiny needles in specific points of your body, namely your acupoints. Your body will then release endorphins, which are your body’s natural painkillers. These painkillers will not cause you unwanted side effects because of their naturally occurring inside your body. Endorphins also affect your serotonin levels, which can improve your mood.
Your acupuncturist may twirl and turn the needles in your body during the session. It is also common for your acupuncturist to apply electricity or heat to your needles to boost the effectiveness of your treatment. A therapeutic herb may also be burned near your skin to increase the treatment’s efficacy.
Miami Acupuncture Pain Management Benefits
Miami acupuncture therapy helps repair your body by stimulating your muscles, nerves, and connective tissue to produce endorphins. Endorphins are naturally occurring chemicals in your body that act on your brain’s opiate receptors to reduce pain.
Here are the following conditions that may benefit from Acupuncture:
- Neck pain
- Labor pain
- Dental pain
- Osteoarthritis
- Lower back pain
- Menstrual cramps
- Respiratory disorders
- Migraines and tension headaches
- Nausea induced by chemotherapy or operation
Risk Factors
Dr. Cook’s Miami acupuncture therapy for pain management can help relieve your pain and help your body heal. There are several factors that add risks to your treatment.
Please inform Dr. Cook if you are taking blood thinners because they may cause you to develop bruises and some bleeding.
Pacemakers should be disclosed immediately to Dr. Cook to let her know which acupuncture treatment is safe to use.
If you are pregnant or suspect that you are pregnant please inform Dr. Cook so then she can choose the proper acupoints to benefit your pregnancy.
Other forms of Acupuncture
There are many forms of acupuncture you can choose from. You will learn the different types of acupuncture below to find out which works best for you.
Moxibustion
This treatment is a traditional Chinese therapy that uses dried mugwort by burning it at different points in your body or somewhere near. It is a treatment found in many Asian countries such as Tibet, China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.
Moxibustion provides you many health benefits such as improved circulation, relieves back pain, stimulates your immune system, and helps digestion.
Moxibustion comes in two different types.
Direct moxibustion uses moxa sticks, which are then burned in your acupoints directly on your skin.
Indirect moxibustion uses a moxa cone wherein the treatment does not touch your skin. The herb is burnt while insulated from your skin by a substance.
Warm Needle Acupuncture
Warm needle acupuncture combines moxibustion and acupuncture for your treatment. The treatment works by stimulating your acupoints using a burning moxa stick on the acupuncture needle’s handle. You can opt for this treatment to treat painful conditions such as arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other painful musculoskeletal conditions. Treatment is by radiation to your acupoints conduction through the needle’s shaft to stimulate the tissue within your acupoints and warming your acupoints.
Electroacupuncture
Electroacupuncture is a widely practiced form of treatment that involves using thin needles to stimulate specific pressure points in your body. The standard acupuncture session will only have you use one needle at each acupoint. This treatment uses two needles where a mild electric current passes between these needles to stimulate your acupoints. Electric current applies more stimulation to your acupoints more than hand manipulation and twirling techniques done to needles.
The treatment is effective for conditions such as arthritis, stress, and nausea caused by your chemotherapy.
Tips to get the most out of Acupuncture
Below are the following steps you should take to get the best out of your treatment.
Have a light snack before the session
You must not eat heavy meals before an acupuncture session. Greasy meals must also be avoided because both of these factors can make your session uncomfortable. It’s best that you eat a light snack two hours before the treatment. Avoid taking caffeine before or after your session because it can alter your healing time.
Relax
You should drink plenty of water and not do any strenuous activities after an acupuncture session. Whether you feel sleepy or energized, you must hold off doing strenuous activities to help your healing process.
Avoid depressants and stimulants
Please avoid consuming alcohol and drugs 12 hours before your acupuncture session. These substances may hinder your treatment’s beneficial effects leading to a less rewarding experience.
In conclusion, learning about Miami acupuncture therapy can help you get more out of its pain management benefits. Learning how acupuncture works, its benefits, and some do’s and don’ts can help you gain more pain relief from one session of acupuncture.