Acupuncture For Arthritis Pain - How Can It Help?

Did you know you can use acupuncture for arthritis pain?

Arthritis is a condition which affects joints. They become inflamed leading to stiff and painful joints. There are many different types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the main type of arthritis and is caused by the cartilage between the bones in the joint wearing away and then the bones rubbing together. Rheumatoid arthritis is also fairly common and is caused when the body’s own immune system attacks the joint making them swollen and sore. All types of arthritis cause stiffness and pain as well as inflammation in the joints. The joints can be extra warm and the skin above can get red as well. There is no cure.

Treatments

There are some treatments for arthritis though, with the most common being pain killers and anti-inflammatory medication. Some cases can have a joint replacement or fusion or a bone realignment. It has been found that certain treatments such as physiotherapy and regular exercise can slow down the degenerative effects of the condition.

No one likes being in pain, but many people do not like taking many pain killers. Therefore they look for an alternative to help them and acupuncture is one that some people try. Acupuncture was started by Chinese doctors in the sixteenth century. They believed that illness was caused by an imbalance of energy in the body and therefore inserted needles in what they thought were the main energy carrying channels to correct the imbalance. These days it feels that the needles can increase the release of endorphins, which are natural pain killers. They are similar to morphine and the body produces them when the person is in pain or stressed. They work with other chemicals to block the pain messages from reaching the brain. So although acupuncture will not cure the condition, it could help in making sure that the pain messages do not get to the brain.

Acupuncture can also be changed to adapt to your needs. More of less needles may be used at different depths in the body. There may be warmth or electricity passed through them and these can help the treatment to be more effective.

Acupuncture for Arthritis - Primary Treatment

There is some research that shows that acupuncture for arthritis pain has been proven effective in a majority of people who have tried it. It is important to get treatment at the same time as consulting with your doctor. This is because they will need to monitor you. If the pain relief is so much that you start moving around more, it is important to make sure that you have the joints examined to ensure you are causing damage to them. Some people find that they can cut out their drugs and other reduce the amount that they take as a result of having the acupuncture treatment. The doctor will need to monitor this as well, to make sure that you are being prescribed the right amount. There are many licensed acupuncturists, so you can find one that is trusted. You may have to pay for the treatment though as it may not be covered by the same money that pays for your doctor.

Monique van de Elzen runs the Auckland Acupuncture Studio. She is a Traditionally trained acupuncturist with over 15 years experience as a medical practitioner. Prior to becoming an acupuncturist she worked as a physiotherapist. She also has a Diploma in Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) from the NZ School of Acupuncture and TCM.