Acupuncture & Pain Management

Acupuncture can provide relief from specific pains for example, sciatica, frozen shoulder or osteoarthritis of the knee and in many cases it's more effective than no treatment or usual care. If you're experiencing pain, whether it's back pain, fibromyalgia, tennis elbow or headaches acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment.

Acupuncture and Back Pain

Over 1 million people in the UK suffer with back pain. Most lower back pain most often caused by sprains, muscle strains, minor injuries, or a pinched or irritated nerve.

Research has shown that acupuncture is significantly better than no treatment and at least as good as (if not better than) standard medical care for back pain (Witt 2006; Haake 2007; Cherkin 2009; Sherman 2009a). It is particularly useful alongside conventional care, for patients with more severe symptoms and for those wishing to avoid analgesic drugs.

Acupuncture can help relieve back pain and sciatica by stimulating nerves to release endorphins to change the way the brain processes pain. It can reduce inflammation, improve muscle stiffness and increase joint mobility.

Neck & Shoulder Pain

Research suggests acupuncture can help relieve neck and shoulder pain by stimulating nerves to release endorphins to change the way the brain processes pain. It can reduce inflammation, improve muscle stiffness, increase joint mobility and support post-operative pain management.

Acupuncture for Fibromyalgia

Around 1 in 25 of the UK population has fibromyalgia, a lifelong condition involving widespread musculoskeletal pain and tenderness, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and functional impairment, without any known structural or inflammatory cause (Annemans 2008; Hauser 2008; De Silva 2010; Burckhardt 1994).

The main aims of therapy are to reduce symptoms, to improve function, and to help patients adapt to the condition (Hauser 2008). Treatments include cognitive behavioural therapy and medication such as simple analgesics or NSAIDs, tramadol, antidepressants (low-dose tricyclics or antidepressant doses of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors or serotonin-noradrenaline re-uptake inhibitors) and antiepileptics (e.g. gabapentin, pregabalin).

A recent review assessed the effectiveness of acupuncture against conventional medication and found it to be better than drugs in terms of pain relief. Acupuncture may have the greatest benefit when applied together with medication or other therapeutic options.

Chronic Pain Relief

Chronic pain includes a wide range of conditions including arthritis, migraines, fibromyalgia, trigeminal neuralgia, tendonitis, irritable bowel, cystitis and endometriosis. Acupuncture has been shown to safely relieve the pain caused by many of these health issues and is side effect free.

Acupuncture Significantly Improves Migraines

Migraines can range in severity, frequency and symptoms. For many they are debilitating. Research has shown that acupuncture is significantly better than no treatment or basic care for managing migraines. It's at least as effective as prophylactic drug therapy, whilst being side effect free.

Angela has had a great deal of success treating pain conditions. If you would like to book an appointment call 01323 819157 or click here.

Source: British Acupuncture Council. More information is available from the British Acupuncture Council here.