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Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine Treatments for Pain
Pain Clinic
I treat all types of pain conditions, including: Musculoskeletal Conditions like neck/shoulder and back pain, Headaches, Neurological Conditions like peripheral neuropathy and different types of gynaecological pain.
Pain symptoms typically reduce after an initial Acupuncture treatment and a course of up to 6 treatments can often resolve the problem or provide effective continued and longer term pain management.
Musculoskeletal Pain
Acupuncture can be an effective treatment for musculoskeletal pain, offering relief and improving mobility by reducing pain, muscle spasms, and inflammation.
Studies show that acupuncture can stimulate the brain to produce pain-relieving chemicals called endorphins, and the effects are cumulative, building up over several sessions.
Acupuncture for Musculoskeletal Pain
Evidence Summary
Acupuncture is widely used for managing musculoskeletal pain, and recent high-quality studies and systematic reviews provide an evidence based assessment of its effectiveness.
Large-scale studies and meta-analyses consistently show that acupuncture is effective in reducing musculoskeletal pain.
In a 14-year real-world study of over 900 patients, acupuncture led to an average 43% reduction in pain scores, with effectiveness across various body regions (40% reduction for lower back pain, up to 55% for elbow pain).
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses confirm these findings, reporting moderate pain relief and functional improvement immediately after treatment indicating clinically meaningful benefits.
A summary of the latest research studies supporting the use of acupuncture for pain conditions is available here.
Headache and Migraine
Research suggests it can reduce the frequency and severity of headaches, and may also improve overall well-being by addressing Stress, Anxiety, and Depression that can contribute to headaches.
Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Headache
Summary of Evidence
Acupuncture has been studied extensively as a treatment for both Migraine and Tension-type headaches. The majority of high-quality randomised controlled trials and systematic reviews suggest that acupuncture can be effective in reducing headache frequency and intensity, with a safety profile that is generally favourable compared to conventional medications.
Migraine
Multiple systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials have found that acupuncture can significantly reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks.
Studies have found acupuncture to be as effective as common migraine medications, but with fewer side effects.
Acupuncture’s benefits for migraine prevention can persist for months after treatment, and a significant proportion of patients (up to 59%) may experience a reduction in headache frequency by 50% or more.
Tension-Type Headache
A Cochrane review found that a course of at least six acupuncture sessions can halve headache frequency in about 48-52% of participants, compared to 17-19% with usual care or no treatment.
The effects of acupuncture for tension-type headaches can last for at least several months after treatment.
Mechanism and Safety
The precise mechanism is thought to involve modulation of the nervous system and pain pathways.
Serious adverse events are rare, and acupuncture has fewer side effects than many medications used for headache prevention and treatment.
A summary of the latest research studies supporting the use of acupuncture for headache type conditions is available here.
Neurological Symptoms and Disease
Acupuncture can help improve symptoms of Neuropathy, a condition characterized by nerve damage, especially Peripheral Neuropathy. Studies suggest it can reduce pain and potentially improve nerve function. While not a cure, acupuncture may offer relief and improve quality of life for individuals with different types of Neuropathy and Neurological symptoms.
Neurological symptoms and disease, such as; Neuralgia, Neuropathy, Tinnitus, Bell’s Palsy, Shingles, MS, Parkinson’s Disease and Stroke.
Evidence from Clinical Research
Peripheral Neuropathy: Multiple studies and reviews suggest acupuncture may reduce nerve pain, numbness, and discomfort associated with peripheral neuropathy. A 2022 review found acupuncture to be beneficial and cost-effective for managing peripheral neuropathy.
Diabetic Neuropathy: Reviews indicate that electroacupuncture, a form of acupuncture with mild electrical stimulation, may improve symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Spinal Cord Injury-Related Neuropathy: Acupuncture has been shown to reduce pain severity and intensity in neuropathy due to spinal cord injury, with electroacupuncture noted as potentially more effective.
Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: Clinical studies and reviews report that acupuncture can improve symptoms and nerve function in patients with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.
Other Neuropathic Pain Conditions: Meta-analyses suggest acupuncture may also benefit neuropathic pain associated with HIV, Bell’s palsy, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Comparative Effectiveness and Mechanisms
Acupuncture appears to be more effective than pharmacotherapy or surgery for some types of neuropathic pain, with a high degree of safety reported in several studies.
Mechanistically, acupuncture is thought to inhibit pain transmission via the somatosensory system, modulate pain-related ion channels, suppress inflammatory responses, and activate the body’s descending pain control systems, including the release of endogenous opioids, serotonin, and norepinephrine.
Electroacupuncture may have specific benefits by influencing nerve pathways and reducing nerve sensitivity and inflammation.
A summary of the latest research studies supporting the use of acupuncture for these nephropathy conditions is available here.
Let’s work together towards better health
If you’re interested in exploring how Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can support your health, get in touch to book a consultation at my London or Bath clinics. I’ll take time to understand your individual needs and help you move towards lasting wellbeing.
07985 918237
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Acupuncture, Headaches, Pain Clinic
