Acupuncture for Orthopedic Conditions
Acupuncture is a medical treatment involving the needling of specific points on the body surface to treat disease and to decrease pain. Acupuncture needles are very fine, solid, metallic needles. This ancient form of healing predates recorded history and is widely practiced throughout the world. The roots of modern-day acupuncture stem from ancient Chinese scholars who developed a system of meridians for diagnosis and treatment points.
What Is it Used For?
Acupuncture can treat almost all organ systems in the body. However, in the United States, it is most widely used for musculoskeletal conditions, such as lower back pain and osteoarthritis.
Soft tissue wounds, muscle spasms, sprains, and strains are among the acute musculoskeletal conditions that are most frequently and successfully addressed using acupuncture. Acupuncture is also appropriate to treat chronic musculoskeletal pain and it is used as an adjuvant for traditional western medicine.
How it can Help Me With My Orthopedic Surgery?
Acupuncture can be helpful before, during and after surgery for a number of reasons. Before surgery, it can increase your endorphin levels which can alleviate anticipated surgical pain, decrease anxiety, and enhance overall health.
Also, it is used as a “physical therapy” to release the muscular, skeletal and emotional holding patterns that are the root causes of tension, pain, postural asymmetries, the precursors of injury, and the residues of internal disease.
The aim of treatment is to create a harmonious balance within the musculoskeletal and meridian systems that generates healing and promotes overall health and well-being.
Is Acupuncture Safe?
In the hands of those trained appropriately in the discipline of acupuncture, it is incredibly safe. The needles used are filiform and typically short, and therefore it is difficult to cause any permanent problems. However, anytime there is penetration of a foreign object into the body there is a risk of infection, bleeding, needle retention, allergic reaction (especially to nickel, a metal used in most acupuncture needles), lightheadedness (needle shock) or organ injury. Some patients also report feeling fatigued, agitated, or tearful after their treatment.
Orthopedic Corner | Leon Mead MD Orthopedic Doctor | 730 Goodlette Road North, Suite 201 Naples Florida 34102 | Phone: (239) 262-1119