84 Burnett St Bundaberg
Acupuncture is widely used for many types of painful conditions, some of the more common problems being back and neck pain, sciatica, thoracic outlet syndrome, headaches and frozen shoulder.
Acupuncture can help
Back and Neck pain:
Provide pain relief - by stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues, acupuncture encourages the release of endorphins and changes the processing of pain in the brain and spinal cord
Reduce inflammation - by promoting release of vascular and anti-inflammatory factors.
Improve muscle tone by potentially reducing stiffness and increase joint mobility thus potentially increasing local circulation which may aid dispersion of swelling and bruising.
Contribute to a reduction in the need for pain relief for back complaints and can be helpful when added to conventional treatments such as rehabilitation exercises.
Sciatic
Sciatica is one of the most common disorders seen in our clinic. It is a syndrome involving nerve root impingement and /or nerve inflammation and Acupuncture may be helpful in reducing inflammation.
Sciatica has several possible causes and these may lead to different treatments, so we use the term sciatica to describe a set of symptoms. These may include back pain aching or stabbing; there may be only hip, leg pain or even foot pain. Sometimes there is minimal pain and the patient mostly suffers from numbness or tingling. There may be leg weakness, coldness or burning. The presentation is quite a bit variable and usually manifests on one side only.
Do you like the sound of pain relief gained by gently releasing tight muscles from around the injured area? Acupuncture is a gentle method of treatment that may reduce the swelling and compression from around the nerve possibly resulting in relief of pain and discomfort.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
One of the most commonly reported symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome is a dull aching sensation running through the neck, shoulder and arms. Unlike a typical headache, pain caused from thoracic outlet syndrome isn’t isolated to the head. Instead, it travels throughout the upper body. Pain levels vary depending on the severity of the condition. Some people experience a mild aching sensation, while others experience severe, debilitating pain.
Thoracic outlet syndrome is a disorder that involves the compression of a nerve bundle (brachial plexus) and associated blood vessels as they travel through or near to the narrow space between the collarbone (clavicle) and the first rib known as the “thoracic outlet”. Compression at or near the thoracic outlet can be caused by pressure from bones, ligaments or other soft tissues on the nerve bundle and/or blood vessels.
Acupuncture and Remedial Therapy may alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome by acting on the muscles and ligaments that often entrap the affected nerves and blood vessels. Acupuncture may also help encourage circulation and bring fresh blood and oxygen to affected tissues to speed healing.
What can acupuncture do for headaches?
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a very consistent and philosophically-based framework for headache aetiology, physiology, diagnosis and treatment plan. Acupuncture treatments have been applied to headaches from the earliest beginnings of TCM.
Acupuncture may be useful for migraine headaches, and also with tension headaches, cluster headaches, post-traumatic headaches, and disease-related headaches that might be due to sinus problems, high blood pressure or sleeping disorders.
In general, acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of neurochemical messenger molecules. The resulting biochemical changes influence the body's homeostatic mechanisms, thus promoting physical and emotional well-being.
Frozen shoulder
Also known as adhesive capsulitis, it isn’t as official as it sounds. Frozen shoulder just refers to shoulder pain that leads to restricted range of motion. It is a catch-all diagnosis for shoulder pain and immobility. Shoulder pain can come from many causes including tendonitis, bursitis, calcification or simple muscle tightness.
Does this sound all too familiar?
If you find yourself suffering from:
Then you are likely experiencing a case of frozen shoulder.
Acupuncture combined with Remedial Therapies and rehabilitation exercises may help with these conditions. Jamie aims to settle the pain first with acupuncture, so you can deal with the problem and then he will work on a plan to regain function back in the shoulder.
