Treat Chronic Pain with Acupuncture

 

We successfully treat people for chronic pain every day at RiverPark Chiropractic and Acupuncture and it is not surprising! Acupuncture has long been recognized as an effective treatment for chronic pain.

In 2012, a study found acupuncture a viable treatment of four chronic pain conditions in which, after acupuncture treatment, the participants experienced less pain. The chronic pain conditions studied were:  

• Back and neck pain 
• Osteoarthritis
• Chronic headache
• Shoulder pain

The National Institutes of Health calls the study “the most rigorous evidence to date that acupuncture may be helpful for chronic pain.”

Chronic pain is defined as any pain lasting 3-6 or more months. There are various types of chronic pain, such as pain from past injuries or surgeries, arthritis, nerve damage, and migraines. When you hurt yourself, the injury turns on pain sensors in that area. They then send messages which travels from nerve to nerve until it reaches your brain. Your brain then processes the signal and sends the message out that you are pain. Usually the signal stops when the cause of the pain is resolved. But with chronic pain, the nerve signals keep firing even after you’ve healed. Acupuncture helps alleviate pain by activating the nervous system and stimulating the immune response. Research has shown that acupuncture increases the response of opioid receptors, helping the body process its own endogenous opioids, thereby relieving pain.   Another  study showed acupuncture being effective for anti-arthritic, ant-inflammatory and immuno-regulatory affects with the stimulation of just one acupuncture point.

Amazing isn’t it! We think so, because we see the wonderful benefits of acupuncture every day in the people we treat! 

If you’re struggling with chronic pain, it is certainly worth trying acupuncture. At RiverPark Chiropractic and Acupuncture we will help you feel better! Call today for an appointment to discuss acupuncture treatment with Dr. Thompson! 423-710-2656