Joint pain is a common condition that can have a variety of underlying causes including autoimmune conditions, arthritis, food sensitivities or improper diet, perimenopausal hormonal changes, and more.
For people who are not finding solutions to their joint pain or want to avoid the use of prescription medication for their underlying condition, acupuncture can be an effective method at reducing or eliminating joint pain.
How Does Chinese Medicine Target Joint Pain?
The magic of Chinese medicine is that it uses a completely different diagnostic system to western medicine. This is an asset in cases where western medicine is not finding adequate solutions to a problem, or when people are not ready to use the solutions offered by their western medicine providers.
Chinese medicine practitioners primarily rely on pulse and tongue diagnosis to understand the imbalances causing joint pain. Feeling the 18 primary pulse points in your wrists, your practitioner will be able to sense imbalances in your respiratory, digestive, circulatory, hormonal, and nervous system health, among others. Furthermore, since your tongue will change size, shape, color, and coating depending on your health, looking at your tongue will confirm any imbalances that may be leading to your joint pain.
The beautiful thing about this diagnostic approach is that there can be a multitude of different diagnoses within Chinese medicine that could be responsible for causing joint pain. Discovering YOUR particular constitution will help the practitioner tailor the acupuncture treatment to your exact needs.
Will I Need Acupuncture Needles in All My Joints?
Often Chinese medicine treats joint pain systemically. By adjusting whatever underlying imbalances are causing pain in the joints, practitioners can reduce the pain overall. At times, targeted needles at pain locations may also be helpful.
How Soon Will I Feel Results?
In some cases, reduction in pain happens immediately after treatment. In other more stubborn cases it can take 10 or more treatments to get a substantial reduction in pain. However, often range of motion or moderate pain reduction will be felt during the first several sessions.
Are There Risks or Side Effects to Receiving Acupuncture for Joint Pain?
The beautiful thing about acupuncture is that there are very few side effects from treatment. The most common side effect is possible bruising due to needle insertion, or lingering pain or tingling sensation near the needle sites. However, these side effects are uncommon.
How Do I Get Started?
You can call, text, or email us at Inspire Family Acupuncture to book an appointment or see if acupuncture is the right approach for your joint pain. We also have online booking at inspireacu.janeapp.com.
Here’s to your health!
