How Acupuncture Relieves Knee Pain
Acupuncture has long been practiced as a part of traditional Chinese medicine. At Soul Potential, we believe the flow of energy in the body, known as qi, keeps you healthy. When qi is disrupted, illness or pain occurs.
Vonda understands that pain is personal. Acupuncture restores the proper flow of qi, rebalancing energy and giving you relief from chronic pain. She works with each client at Soul Potential to understand their needs and goals, and she takes the time to develop customized treatment plans.
Shes highly trained in a variety of acupuncture methods to help you find relief from chronic knee pain. When you come to us for knee arthritis, Vonda inserts small acupuncture needles at specific points on your body.
She targets the meridians involved with the energy around your knee. Acupuncture needles unblock the flow of energy along these meridians, delivering pain relief.
The needles relieve pain by stimulating signals in the nervous system. Your body then releases endorphins and enkephalins, which help reduce sensations of pain. Acupuncture needles can also boost the bodys production of cortisol, which controls inflammation.
Many of our clients find that regular acupuncture sessions help them manage the pain that comes with arthritis and maintain their active lives. Acupuncture can be a great treatment option alone or in conjunction with mainstream pain relievers.
What Are The Risks
The chances that acupuncture will harm you are very low. Thatâs one of the reasons doctors say itâs OK to try it even though thereâs sometimes limited proof that it helps arthritis.
Make sure your practitioner uses new, sterile needles for each client, so thereâs a lower chance of infection. Some people bruise or feel sore later at the spot where the needles went in.
Some people should be more cautious before they get acupuncture. Ask your doctor about it if you:
Acupuncture And Pain Relief
There is a saying in Chinese medicine, When there is free flow there is no pain, when there is pain there is no free flow. Acupuncture and moxibustion encourage blood circulation by repairing blockages. This results in pain alleviation.
Interestingly, one of the classical needling techniques in acupuncture is called barrier method . This needling is done around the connective tissue of the joints as they insert into the bones. This technique is good for pain in the joints and treats tendon issues. In the video the guan ci technique is shown in conjunction with warm needle moxibustion to reduce inflammation and relieve knee pain.
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Tips For Finding A Good Acupuncturist
Ellen Harnett is a health and nutrition coach who went regularly to a practitioner for back pain over 20 years ago and felt tense and uncomfortable throughout the procedure. Worse, she got no relief. But four months ago she began to see someone with whom she is comfortable. Ms. Harnett says she is so relaxed that she nearly fall asleep on the table. More importantly, she gets relief, albeit temporary, from her degenerative disc back pain with each treatment. The relief can last up to several days.
What Credentials Should You Look For?
Licensing requirements for acupuncturists vary from state to state. Some states are more stringent than others. In 1981, three trade associations were founded to set standards of practice: The Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine , The Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine , and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine . So it can be a bit bewildering to find the most qualified practitioner for you. But most states require the NCCAOM certification and the NCCAOM site has a helpful search tool for finding a licensed accredited acupuncturist in your area, as does Acufinder.
Acupuncture For Rheumatoid Arthritis
When you have this type of arthritis, your immune system overreacts and attacks the lining of your joints. Hands, knees, and ankles are the most common places for RA symptoms.
The evidence on acupunctureâs effects for people with RA suggests that itâs worth trying. Researchers say the procedure may improve everyday life with the condition and the way your joints work.
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Meniscus Injuries And Tears
The meniscus of the knee is a crescent shaped fibrocartilaginous structure that provides a cushion on both sides of the knee between the femur and the bones of the lower leg. When torn, this structure causes pain and affects the range of motion at the knee. Surgical repair is a common solution. For minor tears, while healing is more time related due to very little blood flow into structures such as these, pain control is important to regain and then retain full range of motion. Acupuncture is very effective in this regard during the recovery phase.
Acupuncture For Knee Arthritis Fails One Test But May Still Be Worth A Try
- By Daniel Pendick, Former Executive Editor, Harvard Men’s Health Watch
Acupuncture is a popular form of complementary and alternative therapy, but it has yet to win universal endorsement in the medical communityand usually isnt covered by health insurance. Many satisfied customers continue to pay for treatment out of pocket in spite of mixed findings on the effectiveness of this ancient healing art.
A report published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association offers weak-to-no proof that acupuncture helps ease the pain of knee arthritis. On the other hand, its just one moderately sized study in a long and continuing series, and theres still credible evidence to suggest that acupuncture helps some people with common pain conditions.
I would be careful saying acupuncture doesnt work for all pain conditions and no one should do it we simply do not know enough yet, says Peter Wayne, PhD, research director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Womens Hospital.
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How Acupuncture Helps With Knee Pain And Arthritis
Knee pain is a common side effect of knee surgery and aging. The wear and tear of many years of walking, running, jumping, and more put immense strain on our knees as we age. Any injuries or former surgeries only exacerbate the injury. For this reason, many people of all ages struggle with knee pain and osteoarthritis.
Anyone that has dealt with knee pain or arthritis knows how detrimental it can be. Knee pain can sideline you from your favorite daily activities. Fortunately, there is something that may help: acupuncture.
Read on to learn more about how acupuncture helps reduce knee pain and arthritis.
No Two Patients Treated Alike
Acupuncture is a branch of traditional Chinese medicine, with a rich history and lineage dating back thousands of years. It involves inserting hair-thin needles into the body to promote pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects.
No two patients are treated alike. Some patients find relief with needles alone. Others need a more involved technique, such as electro-acupuncture .
Patients with knee arthritis respond particularly well to electro-acupuncture. When knee arthritis is mild or moderate, a limited number of sessions produce very good results. When arthritis is more advanced, or bone-on-bone, ongoing acupuncture is needed.
Acupuncture can also be combined with conventional treatments, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy and/or injections. In addition, acupuncture can provide short-term pain relief until knee replacement surgery is performed.
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What The Research Shows
Many clinical studies support acupunctures ability to relieve knee pain. One study of 18,000 patients found that acupuncture is helpful for managing many conditions that cause chronic pain, including knee pain.
This study found significant differences between true and fake acupuncture during the trial, which indicates that acupuncture does effectively reduce pain and inflammation.
A scientific review analyzed previous studies on pain management interventions after knee surgery and found evidence to support that acupuncture delays and reduces the use of opioid medication to relieve pain post-surgery.
Our Approach To Acupuncture For Knee Pain
Knee pain can have a devasting impact on your life.he Welldge Clinic, we take a comprehensive perspective for our patients health problems. If we dont look at the person as a whole, we miss the real underlying problem leading to pain and only treating symptoms.
Instead, our treatment approach occurs over three stages:
1. Provide relief while addressing the root cause of pain or other symptoms 2. Then, our efforts focus on correcting the problem and the underlying causes of the problem 3. As patients get better, we begin a maintenance schedule, so they stay better. You can imagine a carits like an oil change, engine tune up, and tire rotation for your body. We encourage people not to wait for a catastrophe, but to instead keep up with their maintenance work.
Acupuncture for knee pain is an important part of your path towards better wellness.
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What To Expect During An Acupuncture Session
You have acupuncture points all over your body. At an acupuncture session for arthritis pain in your knee, your doctor will focus on the meridians that affect your knee joints. Youll lie down comfortably while your provider inserts the thin needles into the acupuncture sites. Because the needles are so thin, you may not even feel them. Depending on your particular case, your doctor may gently twist or swirl the needles to stimulate healing. Youll lie down and relax with the needles inserted for 10 to 20 minutes. After the session, you may feel energized or a relaxed kind of sleepy everyone responds differently to acupuncture.
The Point Of Crooked Spring
The administration of acupuncture at this point helps in the cure of swelling and inflammation in the knees. The exact location of this point is at the outer end of the knee crease on both of the legs. The administration of acupuncture at this point helps in the natural alleviation of knee pain, swelling in the knees, and problems in the fibroids.
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What The Research Tells Us
The first systematic review looked at whether acupuncture could improve pain and joint function in people with chronic osteoarthritis knee pain , compared to fake acupuncture, usual care, or no treatment. People received 6 to 23 sessions of acupuncture at least once per week for 3 to 36 weeks. Each session involved at least four acupuncture points, and was carried out for at least 20 minutes.
Overall, the results were promising! People who received acupuncture had less short-term pain and better short-term and long-term physical functioning, although there was no effect seen on long-term pain . However, one newer review provided evidence that acupuncture could relieve chronic pain for 12 months or more, and to a degree that was clinically significant .
Painful joints from osteoarthritis can have a huge negative impact on quality of life. Acupuncture may offer an alternative way to treat this debilitating condition.
How Can Acupuncture Help Knee Pain
Research suggests that the ancient practice of acupuncture can relieve pain for several conditions and success rates from acupuncture have been high in treating knee pain from arthritis.
Acupuncture promotes an anti-inflammatory effect and releases endogenous opioid endorphins, or the compounds that your body produces and releases to relieve pain. Together, those two effects can reduce the stiffness you feel in your knees and improve your range of motion and overall function.
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Acupuncture And Moxibustion For Knee Pain
Acupuncture is a wonderful modality for knee pain especially for osteoarthritis of the knee. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage covering the ends of the bones wears down. When this occurs, the joints have less cushioning and are more prone to inflammation.
In NYC, I have seen many cases of osteoarthritis of the knee joint with great results. Because the cartilage is deep, it may be difficult to work directly on it with manual therapies.
One of the advantages of acupuncture is that the needle can work closer to the inflamed areas within the knee joint. Pain in the joints such as the knees or ankles is a very important condition to treat in Manhattan.
Our lower extremities are our modes of transportation in the city. If they are prone to pain or are not functioning optimally, doing every day tasks such as getting groceries, walking down the subway stairs, or just wanting to get out and about will be more challenging.
What Causes Knee Pain
There are many, many causes of knee pain, some due to chronic overuse, some to acute injuries and some just due to the ageing process:
- surrounding muscle tightness/strains
- acute injuries such as torn ligaments or cartilage
- osteoarthritis and joint deterioration
The wear and tear of many years of walking, running, jumping, dancing etc. can put immense strain on our knees and lucky is the person who doesnt have some knee pain at some point in their life.
However, that is not to say that leading a sedentary lifestyle will result in no knee problems, in all likelihood the opposite!! Exercise will strengthen the muscles, tendons and ligaments that support the knee joint. In fact recent studies have shown that runners are LESS likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee than sedentary people.
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Knee Pain And Acupuncture Treatment
The knee joint is the largest joint and the body and truly an amazing joint structure when it works properly. It is strong and stable, built to support the body over many miles of travel and abuse. In cases of overuse, improper rest and poor dietary factors the knee joint can break down causing pain, inflammation and lack of mobility.
Acupuncture should be the first treatment option to reverse the inflammatory process which underlies knee pain. Acupuncture treatment is effective in knee pain arising from both Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis, although the treatment methods employed will differ greatly based on which type of arthritis is involved. Although there are other options for pain management including bed rest, medications and surgery, these other options have their own risks that are not present in acupuncture treatment.
Acupuncture is a safe, drug-free alternative to treating body and joint pain with no side effects. The World Health Organization and the National Institute of Health recognize the benefits of acupuncture in treating pain due to a wide range of causes. Scientific studies have shown acupuncture as effective in relieving knee pain especially when the pain is related to arthritis of the joint .
In some cases, acupuncture may even be considered an alternative to surgical procedures.
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Who Suffers From Knee Pain
Many athletes experience knee injuries, particularly to the knee ligaments. Nearly everyone has become familiar with the acronym ACL, which stands for anterior cruciate ligament. ACL tears can be caused by rapidly twisting or changing directions slowing down when running or landing from a jump. Injuries to the medial collateral ligament are usually caused by contact on the outside of the knee.
Knee pain isn’t restricted to professional athletes, however. As people get older, the amount of cartilage in the knee decreases, and many ligaments begin to lose some of their elasticity, making them more susceptible to pain and/or injury.
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Suffering Arthritis Pain In Your Knee Acupuncture Can Deliver Relief
Heres a sobering statistic: Chronic knee pain affects nearly 50 percent of older American adults, and knee pain is the most commonly reported pain among adults ages 50 to 69. Much of that knee pain is attributed to arthritis.
A bit about arthritic knee pain: Traditional therapies for arthritis, such as medication and surgery, have many limitations. Medications may offer temporary relief but can come with side effects. Surgery is quite painful and expensive, and can also lead to side effects not to mention the recovery period where your functionality may be severely limited. After surgery, you may need to endure additional treatment in the form of physical therapy.
So whats a person to do when medications dont work and surgery isnt on the table as an option ? You may need to turn to alternative, integrative therapies. One such option is acupuncture in this article, learn how the professionals at Jersey Integrative Health and Wellness treat arthritis pain with acupuncture.
How A Typical Session Works
During your first acupuncture treatment, you will be taken into a private room to discuss your medical history with your acupuncturist and what joints and areas of your body are in pain. After a brief physical exam, you will lie down on a treatment table so that your acupuncturist can insert needles into specific points.
You may lie face up or face down depending on what areas of your body your acupuncturist needs to access. It is best to wear loose clothing that can be rolled up or moved out of the way so that the acupuncturist can easily access different areas of your body. Depending on what areas of your body need to be accessed, you may be asked to change into a gown.
Your acupuncturist will use alcohol swabs to disinfect the skin before placing needles in various points throughout your body. The needles are made of stainless steel and are at least 10 times thinner than medical needles used for vaccines or drawing blood.
Because of this, needle insertion is often painless, especially in thicker areas of the body. You may feel a slight pinch in more sensitive areas like the hands and feet where the skin is thin, but needle insertion should be comfortable and well tolerated without significant pain.
If you are going for electroacupuncture, your acupuncturist will pass a mild electric current through the needles, usually 40 to 80 volts.
After your treatment is finished, your acupuncturist will remove all of the needles and dispose of them.
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