Acupuncture For Pain Management by Dr. Erin Lee
Acupuncture has been used for over 2,500 years to regulate homeostasis and stimulate biological responses. Similar to how the body responds to a minor injury such as a paper cut, an acupuncture needle serves to create a controlled micro-trauma, setting off immune and anti-inflammatory responses and stimulating the body’s own healing mechanisms.
Acupuncture points are located along major nerve pathways in areas with a higher concentration of nerves, vessels and neuromuscular attachments, thereby affecting the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems and the regulation of neurotransmitters and hormones. In fact, 80% of motor points (where the nerve innervates muscle) are actually major acupuncture points.
Examples of Acupuncture Points
Dermatomes are specific areas of the body supplied by a spinal nerve. For example, sensation in the pinky toe (including pain) is supplied by the S1 spinal nerve originating from the sacrum. The acupoint Bladder 67 (BL67) is located on the pinky toe and ancient texts have outlined that it is to be used to turn a breached baby. How does this work? Because it stimulates the nerve which originates right behind the uterus, thereby stimulating movement of the baby!
Functional MRIs show evidence that certain points such as LI4, which is located on the hand, stimulate certain areas of the brain and effectively shut off pain receptors, thereby affecting the “fight or flight” response. Similarly GB37, a point on the leg which is known in Chinese medicine to be the empirical point for the eye, has been shown in functional MRIs to affect the area of the brain controlling optic function.
Acupuncture for Pain Management
Although effective for most internal conditions such as allergies, respiratory and digestive issues, stress and anxiety, and gynecological/fertility issues, acupuncture is most popularly known for pain relief. It is an effective means to reduce muscle tension, regulate nerve signals and increase blood flow to the area, which in turn reduces inflammation and swelling to accelerate healing by removing obstructions and allowing WBC and other healing agents to reach the site more quickly and effectively.
At Work In Progress Acupuncture Studio, a combination of trigger point therapy, electrostimulation (E-Stim), cupping and/or guasha are used to effectively treat many pain conditions including: migraines, neck, shoulder, low back, hip, knee, ankle, sciatica, carpal tunnel, tennis/golf elbow, and plantar fasciitis. If you have numbness, tingling or pain anywhere in the body, consider getting acupuncture before surgery, injections or other therapies to naturally align and stimulate your body’s own healing mechanisms.
Contact
Read our Google Reviews to learn more about how others have found acupuncture to help. To check if your insurance plan includes acupuncture benefits, submit your insurance information on the website below. HSA and FSA accepted.
Call/Text: (212) 547-9477
Email: hello@workinprogressacu.com
Website: workinprogressacu.com