Should You Try Acupuncture to Treat Arthritis Pain?

With over 50 million Americans living with various kinds of arthritis pain, it’s important for those in that cohort to know what’s what when it comes to treatment.

The problem is that there’s no real cure. While total knee replacement comes close, it’s an invasive procedure and not everyone’s ready to go there.

And so, the clinical community tries other approaches to relieve pain and help save existing mobility and hopefully, restore some of what’s been lost to the condition.

Many people come to Back & Body for help with arthritis pain and many more talk to us about exploring the therapy.

Should you try acupuncture to treat arthritis pain? What have you got to lose, except the pain (that’s affecting your quality of life)?

Complementary Treatment

The rise of acupuncture as a viable complementary therapy is well-documented. That’s probably why you’re here. You know about it. You’ve talked to friends/family who’ve had success with acupuncture and you’re wondering if it can help you.

This 5,000-year-old treatment model originated in China but has grown to the status of a global phenomenon, since being diffused internationally.

Bost osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can be managed with acupuncture. It’s not a cure, but it’s an effective complement to other strategies, especially when patients are seeking to either delay or avoid total knee replacement.

Research

One thing we’re sure of at Back & Body Medical – one size does not fit all. That’s why we’ve based our clinical practice on the multi-disciplinarian approach, tailoring care to the individual patient.

Research into acupuncture’s benefits have been largely positive but the variety of methods employed by practitioners and the individuality of the patients implicated is often the basis for these variances in research findings.

Not for Everyone

Acupuncture is a completely safe treatment. The skin of the patient and the ultra-fine needles used in the therapy are sterilized prior to use and all needles discarded following treatment.

But if mobility or weight issues make it difficult for patients to get into position on the table, acupuncture may not be for them. This is also true of those who are excessively uncomfortable lying still for a half hour.

Others acupuncture may not be a fit for are those on drug therapies like Warfarin and related blood thinners/anticoagulants because of the elevated risk of bleeding.

Certified Practitioners Only

When seeking an acupuncturist, certification and licensing are of paramount importance. But you should also be examining experience in treating chronic pain (for which acupuncture is a go-to therapy).

An acupuncturist’s training should encompass more than one technique of the discipline, sterilization techniques, and complementary treatments.

Back & Body Medical

Our clinic in the heart of Manhattan is dedicated to pain relief and management, drawing on acupuncture, physical therapy, chiropractic, and sports medicine.

We build treatment plans keyed to individual patients. As I noted earlier – one size does not fit all. We seek out the therapy or combination of therapies, arriving at the perfect fit for you.