Find Effective Relief for Your Pain with Acupuncture

Did You Know that Acupuncture Could Help You Achieve Long-Lasting Relief

Acupuncture is a safe and effective method of treatment performed by a licensed physical therapist that works to reduce pain and muscle tension, while simultaneously improving mobility.

It has been proven to treat numerous musculoskeletal issues, including acute and chronic injuries, overuse injuries, neck pain, headaches, back pain, sciatica, muscle spasms, muscle strains, tendinitis, knee pain, hip pain, fibromyalgia, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and more.

If you are dealing with one of these conditions and you’re looking for relief, or if you’d like to gain more information on how acupuncture could benefit you, contact ProClinix Sports Physical Therapy & Chiropractic today!

What should I know about acupuncture?

If you have been considering acupuncture, there is a strong probability that it could benefit you. As stated by Practical Pain Management, “Acupuncture may sound like an exotic—maybe even improbable—treatment for chronic pain. But this age-old practice is now viewed as an acceptable supplementary treatment for certain low back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis conditions.”

However, you may still be wondering what exactly it does and how it may help your specific condition. Well, Practical Pain Management also describes acupuncture as follows:

“Acupuncture (a branch of traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM) is a practice 3,500 years older than traditional Western medicine. It works by applying needles, heat, and pressure to specific points on the body. The theory is that invigorating these points releases or redirects the body’s natural energy known as chi or qi because illness and pain come from blockages or imbalances of this vital life force.”

This treatment method is used by our licensed physical therapists as a way to relieve pain.

When performing acupuncture, our physical therapist will insert a sterile acupuncture needle through the skin, into the underlying tendons, ligaments, or muscles that have been affected, in order to relieve pain, decrease muscle tension, and improve mobility.

Modern methods of acupuncture are strictly based on Western medicine principles and research. It provides an environment that enhances the body’s ability to heal, ultimately reducing pain in the process.

Is acupuncture painful?

While it is a common misconception, acupuncture is not painful. It is based on a modern scientific study of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular systems.

In fact, as stated by Harvard Health Publishing,

“Acupuncture is generally quite safe, and the complication rate appears to be quite low. A review of acupuncture-related complications reported in medical journals found that the most serious problem was accidental insertion of a needle into the pleural space between the lungs and the chest wall (but this is rare). The advent of single-use, sealed needle packages has all but eliminated the risks of blood-borne infections such as hepatitis B or HIV.”

At our clinic, most of our patients report feeling little to no discomfort when undergoing acupuncture treatments. Our highly-trained physical therapists know how to make the process as painless as possible; however, some patients may still experience a “twitch response” with the insertion of the needle.

This is comparable to a quick muscle cramp or ache. The 24-48 hours following an acupuncture treatment may also result in muscle soreness, which should go away on its own. Sore muscles can be treated at home by applying ice and/or heat packs and drinking plenty of fluids.

How will I benefit from acupuncture?

There are several benefits of acupuncture treatments, perhaps the largest one being that it is a safe, holistic, and effective form of treatment. In fact, many cases where opioids are prescribed could be avoided by simply participating in acupuncture treatments.

Healthline states that “In the midst of the opioid crisis, acupuncture has been growing in popularity in the United States. Primarily used for pain management, this ancient Chinese form of alternative medicine — which involves thin needles being inserted into the skin — has gained support from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Medicaid as a viable treatment in recent years.”

Additionally, there are a large variety of musculoskeletal issues that can be treated with acupuncture.

When paired with our traditional exercise-based physical therapy treatments and advanced manual therapy techniques, we have found that the vast majority of our patients achieved the pain-free goals they were aiming towards.

After conducting a comprehensive evaluation to assess the nature of your condition, your physical therapist will let you know if acupuncture is the best course of treatment for you.

We have used acupuncture to treat several diverse conditions, from chronic pain sufferers to athletes experiencing delayed onset muscle soreness.

Acupuncture can speed up recovery time and allow you to return to your daily life as quickly as possible.

Get started today

If you are interested in our acupuncture services, don’t hesitate to contact ProClinix Sports Physical Therapy & Chiropractic today to schedule an appointment.

We’ll get you started on the path toward recovery!