Pain

Acupuncture is one of the most effective, side effect free treatments for various types of pain. When compared to conventional pain treatments in clinical trials (usually involving pharmaceuticals), acupuncture almost always proves to be more effective.

Pain is a signal to you that something is out of balance in your body, and should not be ignored . Although pain sometimes resolves simply with rest and time, often the imbalance persists, symptoms worsen, and the condition becomes more difficult to treat. Even though pain may diminish over time, a weakness in the body remains, making you more prone to future injury, pain recurrence, or gradual decrease of function/flexibility.

Acupuncture can provide symptomatic relief from pain, while addressing the root cause to result in lasting improvement. Depending on the intensity and type of pain you have, we may suggest additional therapies (usually herbal medicine, biofeedback, exercises, etc) to increase your responsiveness to the treatment. We consider you to be a partner in your road to recovery, and you will be involved in every step of the process.

Recent advances in imaging technology have allowed docters to view some of the visible changes that occur in the brain following acupuncture therapy. Using PET imaging, a study observed that a group of patients who suffered from chronic pain also had asymmetry of the thalamus. This thalamic asymmetry disappeared after acupuncture treatment. [1]

During a PET scanning sequence researchers found that acupuncture, but not sham treatment, activated the left anterior cingulum, superior frontal gyrus, bilateral cerebellum, and insula, as well as the right medial and inferior frontal gyri. These are the same areas activated by acute and chronic pain. [2]
fMRI studies show that acupuncture affects the pain pathways in the exact opposite direction of pain stimuli, therefore reversing the pain process

For a review of recent research of specific types of pain, please click below

• Neck/Shoulder
• Back
• Arthritis

• Carpal Tunnel
• Knee Elbow Pain
• Fibromyalgia