Acupuncture for Orthopedic Injuries & Chronic Pain
Orthopedic acupuncture utilizes traditional Chinese medicine principles of diagnosis and treatment with the addition of modern day understanding of orthopedic and neurologic conditions. This combination of approaches influences how a course of treatment is approached, and yields unique results that have piqued unprecedented interest in acupuncture’s pain relieving capabilities. Incorporating advanced understanding of anatomy, muscle motor points, nerves, trigger points, as well as posture and lifestyle influences and how they all influence pain, patients are able to achieve measurable relief from their pain. Some conditions may require surgery however, and acupuncture can be en effective resource to improve healing and reduce reliance on pharmaceutical pain relief.
Why choose acupuncture?
Musculoskeletal disorders are some of the most common disorders that people seek care for and are the number one reason they seek out acupuncture. Studies show acupuncture is an effective treatment modality for the treatment of chronic pain and musculoskeletal disorders such as low back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis of the knee, and shoulder pain. It can cause an immediate analgesic effect on chronic pain that can last for several days after a treatment. This is due to acupuncture's ability to regulate the release naturally produced opioid neuropeptides, as well as non-opioid neuropeptides. Additionally, various neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, are released that influence mood, which can often be affected in concurrence with chronic pain. Combining electro-stimulation (if indicated) with acupuncture treatments has also been shown to initiate a release of endogenous opioids, providing a therapeutic effect.
When a needle is inserted into the body, a cascade effect occurs where white blood cells, prostaglandins, red blood cells, serotonin, and pain modulators (substance P, glutamate) are released. All of these chemicals work together to heal local tissue. By creating a micro-trauma, a quicker and more efficient healing response is able to occur. This leads to increased blood circulation and reduced pain and inflammation.
Commonly Treated Conditions
low back pain
knee pain
patellofemoral pain syndrome
post-surgical recovery
rotator cuff injury
achilles tendonitis
muscle tension
neck pain
sprained ankle
peripheral neuropathy
radiculopathy
sciatica
tendonitis
plantar fasciitis
tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)
golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis)
De Quervain's tenosynovitis
carpal tunnel syndrome
thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS)
trochanteric bursitis
frozen shoulder
Infrared Light Therapy & Musculoskeletal Conditions
Infrared light therapy is a type of treatment that can help heal skin and muscle tissue. “Red light therapy is thought to work by acting on the ‘power plant’ in your body’s cells called mitochondria. With more energy, other cells can do their work more efficiently…” (1). “At the cellular level, the interaction between [infrared light] and living tissue boils down to heat-induced alterations of cell membrane potentials by means of a rise in intercellular Ca2+ levels…[Infrared light] consists of a promising complementary treatment for a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, including knee osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic low back pain, chronic myofascial syndrome, sacroiliitis…” (2) .
At Dahms Acupuncture, it is used to treat a variety of pain conditions, such as low back pain, tendinitis, knee osteoarthritis, poor circulation, and muscle tension, and is used in conjunction with an acupuncture treatment to relieve pain.
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