Pain
Many of us suffer from moderate to severe chronic pain, that can last for months or even years. Lower back pain, neck pain, migraines and headaches are the more common sources of chronic pain. When we get injured, our body sends nerve signals to demonstrate one has been hurt. Once we heal, the pain is resolved. However, evidence suggests nerve damage may be a contributor to chronic pain. Further evidence suggests a malfunction in the way the brain maps sensory information as the cause for chronic pain.
Chronic pain has immense impacts on one’s life, including financial burden, familial and emotional strains, decreased work productivity, sleep disturbances, and overall decreased quality of life. Unfortunately, the standard drug treatments (e.g., opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) are often ineffective, and frequently have negative side effects.
Massage, spinal manipulation, yoga, dietary changes, supplements, herbal medicines, therapeutic tough, and acupuncture are complementary therapies often used for pain management. Acupuncture is particularly known for its benefits and effectiveness in treating pain, both acute and chronic. There is a growing body of evidence that acupuncture and Chinese medicine are successful in treating musculoskeletal pain, as well as headaches and migraines, and osteoarthritis, and could be used both as an adjunct or alternative to standard treatments.
In Chinese medicine, phenomena is often described in terms of yin and yang. Yin and yang represent everything that exists in nature, including all parts and functions of our body. For there to be health, yin and yang must be balanced. While yin represents stillness, form, and blood, yang represents activity, function, and Qi. Yin and yang are interdependent; Qi needs blood to nourish it and blood needs qi to move it. In Chinese medicine, Qi is said to be our energy or life force, and travel through the entire body though meridians.
Qi needs to flow freely in the meridians for there to be no pain. The most important text in Chinese medicine, the Huang Di Nei Jing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon) states, “If there is free flow, there is no pain. If there is no free flow, there is pain.” When Qi and/or blood are stagnant in the meridians, there is pain. Acupuncture’s goal is to free the flow of Qi and blood, and increase circulation so that the normal flow can be restored, and the pain eliminated.
There is more research needed to understand the mechanisms of how acupuncture really works. However, there is currently evidence that demonstrates acupuncture activates the body’s own painkillers. Acupuncture stimulates the body’s ability to self-heal and self-regulate. It increases circulation, stimulates the body’s immune system, and desensitizes pain receptors. This ancient Chinese modality is a safe and effective alternative for those of us living with pain.
References:
National Center for Health Statistics (US. “Health, United States, 2016: with chartbook on Long-term trends in health. Hyattsville, MD. 2017.”
Moseley, G. L., & Flor, H. (2012). Targeting cortical representations in the treatment of chronic pain: a review. Neurorehabilitation and neural repair, 26(6), 646-652. DOI: 10.1177/1545968311433209
Xiang, A., Cheng, K., Xu, P., & Liu, S. (n.d.). The immediate analgesic effect of acupuncture for pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Yin, C., Buchheit, T. E., & Park, J. J. (2017). Acupuncture for chronic pain: an update and critical overview. Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology, 1. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACO.0000000000000501
Lao L. Acupuncture practice, past and present: is it safe and effective?. Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology. 2006;4(1):13.