Arthritis Pain Relief with Acupuncture
By Gordon Cameron
Arthritis pain has never been easy to treat and arthritis
symptoms have often been managed by the use of possibly toxic or unpalatable
arthritis medication. Acupuncture can result in powerful arthritis
pain relief and it can provide an alternative arthritis remedy for
many pain sufferers. Arthritis treatment by acupuncture is described
below.
Arthritis pain relief with acupuncture - what is acupuncture?
Acupuncture has been used for arthritis pain relief
in traditional Chinese medicine for many thousands of years. It has
recently become a widely used technique in western medicine – both
by doctors and others.
Acupuncture claims good results in the treatment of
arthritis pain. Arthritis pain relief and joint pain relief are among
the most common reasons for using acupuncture in Western countries.
Many people who suffer from osteoathritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic
arthritis, degenerative arthritis and gout seek pain relief from acupuncture
– either alongside, or instead of, their arthritis medication or other
arthritis treatment.
Acupuncture involves the insertion of very fine needles
into several points around the body. These acupuncture points are
often near to the site of your arthritis pain and may be very tender
to touch before the needle is inserted.
Other acupuncture points used for arthritis pain relief
may be quite a way distant from the affected joint – acupuncturists
usually call these areas “distal points.” It depends on the particular
style of practice used by your acupuncturists but you should expect
to have anything between two and twenty needles inserted each time
you go for treatment
Most arthritis pain sufferers need from three to six
treatment sessions before they begin to get relief. The needles are
extremely fine – not much wider than a human hair – and are often
left in your skin for more than twenty minutes during a treatment
session.
There is no way to predict how much arthritis pain
relief you will get from acupuncture – it really is a matter of try
it and see what happens.
How is acupuncture used in arthritis pain relief?
Your first acupuncture session may last about an hour
and subsequent appointments are often shorter in length. From two
to twenty very thin needles are put in place and left there for several
minutes.
Having needles stuck in your body may not sound like
fun but most people say there's only a slight stinging sensation as
the needles enter, and no pain at all after that. Your therapist may
stimulate the needles by turning or rotating them quickly during your
treatment session.
Acupuncture needles are very thin and solid with a
smooth point and having them inserted may not be as uncomfortable
as getting an immunisation having blood taken for a blood test.
The number of sessions needed varies. Long-standing
and complex chronic pain problems like arthritis might need one or
two treatments a week for several months.
Most people do not experience side effects from acupuncture
therapy but a few of us can have problems such as bleeding or infection.
Some people who have never experienced acupuncture may feel dizzy
after their first acupuncture treatment.
If you suffer from arthritis then do consider trying
acupuncture – it may provide the arthritis pain relief that you have
been longing for.
You can read more about arthritis pain relief and
other aspects of joint pain on my website
where you’ll also find useful information about other frozen shoulder
and other joint and muscle pain conditions.
Dr Gordon Cameron is a specialist in joint pain
based in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is an expert in frozen
shoulder treatment and in
arthritis pain relief
Dr Cameron has also created an electronic book
on the subject of frozen shoulder. Explore the book for free and download
a copy on his website by following the links to Frozen Shoulder above.
