At A Body In Motion Rehabilitation our physiotherapists use a wide range of treatment options that are individualized to meet your needs. One option that you may be offered is acupuncture. Many patients who come to the clinic have never tried acupuncture and often have many questions about how it is used and its effectiveness at treating their injury.
Acupuncture is a treatment method that has been used for thousands of years. Traditional Chinese acupuncture uses a very specific mode of assessment and diagnosis to treat patients. Western medicine has adopted acupuncture and uses it as a safe, valuable tool to help manage pain and inflammation. Acupuncture involves the use of single-use, pre sterilized needles that vary in widths and lengths. The physiotherapist has been trained to identify specific points in the body to determine the placement of the needles. Paul Kempisty, a licensed acupuncturist explains that “Each acupuncture needle produces a tiny injury at the insertion site, and although it’s slight enough to cause little to no discomfort, it’s enough of a signal to let the body know it needs to respond. This response involves stimulation of the immune system, promoting circulation to the area, wound healing and pain modulation.” Several needles may be used to stimulate the nervous system and trigger the brain to release natural pain-relieving chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin and therefore improve recovery time. If acupuncture is successful at providing pain relief that allows the physiotherapist to increase the home exercise program and also advance in clinic treatment.
Many people want to know what to expect after a session of acupuncture however that can be a difficult question to answer. There is no universal response to acupuncture. Some people will feel an immediate response, for example they may feel relaxed or even slightly tired or perhaps energized. Others may not feel anything at all until a day or two after treatment when they report a decrease in pain or symptoms. For some it can also take a few sessions of acupuncture before they feel the benefits. Some patients don’t respond to acupuncture and feel like it doesn’t make much of a difference for them. However, one of the great aspects about acupuncture is that it will not make your injury or symptoms worse.
Acupuncture can be a very effective addition to your treatment at A Body In Motion Rehabilitation. It can complement your manual therapy and home exercise program and can be beneficial for many different conditions and injuries. Don’t forget to talk to your physiotherapist if you have any questions about acupuncture or if you would like to give it a try!
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