Benefits of Acupuncture For Pain Relief
Updated: Jul 6
Acupuncture has gained traction as a treatment method for pain management.
Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners employ acupuncture as an element of their practice. By inserting thin needles, gently applying pressure, and warming certain areas of the body, the practitioner can assist patients in reducing pain and discomfort. This article will look into the benefits of acupuncture for pain management and the research behind it.
Health Wise has over thirty years of clinical experience, and we aim to continue to deliver the best Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments in Hong Kong. Visit our acupuncture page to learn more.
Feel free to contact us today, our friendly staff will be happy to help you. Alternatively, you can call +852 2526 7908 or email info@chinesemed.hk.
Article Contents:
Benefits Of Acupuncture For Pain Relief
Acupuncture For Neck Pain Research
Acupuncture For Knee Joint Pain Research
Acupuncture For Migraines Research
Learn more about Chinese Medicine
Benefits Of Acupuncture For Pain Relief
Acupuncture has become recognized and used worldwide, as shown by reports from 129 countries, 80% of which now recognize its use-cases. According to the U.S. National Institute of Health, approximately 3 to 6 million Americans use acupuncture treatments annually.
Acupuncture is traditionally used for pain management. Research aggregating the results of 29 studies from 18,000 participants showed that Acupuncture provided pain relief for patients by reducing their pain by approximately 50%.
High-quality randomized controlled trials have shown that acupuncture can have a therapeutic effect on chronic neck pain, joint pain, and migraines.
Acupuncture is also effective in managing perioperative and postoperative pain, as well as visceral pain (pain related to the internal organs in the midline of the body), such as angina pectoris (chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart).
In recent years, Acupuncture has been used with positive effects in oncology, pediatrics, fertility, emergency medicine, and even post-traumatic psychiatric disorders. The body of research for acupuncture is growing, and the use-cases for this Traditional Chinese Medicine modality continue to make an impact in this modern age.
In the next section, we shall take a look at studies on the efficacy of acupuncture treatments in a handful of common pain conditions.
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Acupuncture For Neck Pain Research
Neck pain is a common problem.
The muscles of your neck can be strained simply due to bad posture. Whether it's in front of your computer or hunching behind your workbench over long periods of time, it can make you susceptible to this painful condition.
A research study examined the effectiveness of Acupuncture on people suffering from chronic neck pain. The study was conducted at a public Primary Health Care Centre in Madrid on 130 participants experiencing neck pain.
The results showed that significant and clinically relevant differences were found in favor of using acupuncture for relieving neck pain. Acupuncture accompanied by passive stretching is more effective than passive stretching alone in treating people with neck pain.
Please see the full research study here.
Acupuncture For Knee Joint Pain Research
Joint pain is yet another common issue. Osteoarthritis is a frequent cause of joint pain as we age. Osteoarthritis knee joint pain is the eighth leading cause of disability globally.
Treatment options are typically too extreme as it involves surgery, has side effects involving drugs, or are considerably effective but take too long (physical therapy). Research has shown that acupuncture can provide modest relief for joint pain as an alternative treatment.
A research review examined 10 randomized, controlled trials. 9 of the studies concluded that Acupuncture was an effective form of treatment and that Acupuncture should be considered a viable alternative treatment of knee pain associated with osteoarthritis for the thousands of individuals who are suffering from symptoms of this chronic disease.
Please see the full research study here.
Acupuncture For Migraines Research
A migraine is a severe, throbbing headache usually on one side of the head. It is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and intense sensitivity to light and sound. Migraines can persist for hours to days, and the pain can impede the ability to perform normal everyday tasks.
A research study examined the long-term prophylactic effects of acupuncture for migraines.
A total of 249 participants aged 18 to 65 years old were enrolled in a 16-week long research experiment where they examined the effects of acupuncture for reducing the frequency and severity of migraines.
Comparing the results between the control groups and those that underwent the acupuncture treatment, the study concluded that acupuncture may be associated with long-term reduction in migraine recurrence.
Please see the full research study here.
Health Wise
Health Wise has over thirty years of clinical experience, and we aim to continue to deliver the best Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments in Hong Kong. In 2021, our Practitioner Dr. Troy Sing won gold for Best TCM Practitioner in Hong Kong.
The clinic provides crafted individual treatments to address each patient’s internal landscape. At HealthWise, you’ll receive a 60-minute initial consultation and acupuncture treatment with custom-made formulas for your body's constitution.
We aim to provide a caring and compassionate environment. To allow you to tell your story and not just recite medical results and outcomes.
Health Wise provides personalized treatment plans for:
PAIN MANAGEMENT
Dedicated Care With Meaningful Results
Our approach is deeply rooted in Classical Chinese Medicine, yet integrates seamlessly with the Western medical care that our patients receive. We look forward to joining you on your journey.
Dr. Troy Sing
Troy Sing is a Hong Kong Registered Practitioner of Chinese Medicine who has over thirty years of extensive clinical experience in Pain management, Reproductive Medicine, Gynecology, and Andrology. A graduate of Australia’s Chinese Medicine Degree (acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, neuromuscular massage) Program, he has also completed a Masters in neuro-physiology investigating the analgesic mechanisms of acupuncture (1995).
Troy's publications include ‘The Analgesic Mechanisms of Acupuncture, Journal of Chinese Medicine, 1996; and co-author of ‘Health Beauty & Vitality: A woman’s Guide to Chinese medicine’ 2004. He has held the post of the course coordinator and lecturer at the University of Hong Kong’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Department (S.P.A.C.E.) (1997-2001). President of the Hong Kong Medical Acupuncture Association (2002-2005). Further post-graduate studies include Gynecology, Reproductive medicine, Andrology, and Sports Science.
Over the last decade, the most influential courses he has completed include SiYuan Balance Method Acupuncture level 1 (Dr. Eileen Han Ph.D.), Pulsynergy Herbology Level 1-IV (Dr. Jimmy Chang), NeiJing Acupuncture (Dr. Ed Neal MD), and HunYuan Chinese Herbal Medicine (Dr. Yaron Seidman Ph.D.).
Learn More About Chinese Medicine
Visit our Health Wise Blog, we have a number of informative articles to help our patients. Here's a series of articles that we think may be beneficial:
How To Fix Your Lower Back Pain: The Chinese Medicine Guide To Sciatica Pain
Feeling Stressed? Chinese Medicine Tips on How To Relieve Stress
Sleeping Disorders and Emotions
We aim to continue to provide more useful Traditional Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture information at our Health Wise Chinese Medicine's Newsletter page.
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