Prescription pain medication “numbs” you out. Acupuncture works differently. Acupuncture is more like a crockpot than a microwave - it works slowly through and through rather than heating you up quick and leaving hot spots in the middle. Sometimes people are unsure if acupuncture is working or not. Frequently when a person has a chronic pain condition they shut off the connection to their body as a survival mechanism so it can be hard to know! Here’s how to tell the acupuncture is working.
Are you taking less pain medication? This is a big one. If you are able to drop a dose, wait longer between doses or forget to take it those are all good signs! You may still be feeling pain however needing less or a less strong medication is a sign your body is healing. Do you notice a change in the location, frequency and/or intensity of the pain? Did the area of the pain get smaller? If your whole back hurt and now its just your upper back that is a sign you are getting better. Do you get headaches twice a week instead of daily? That is a very good sign. Has the overall pain level decreased? Again, good news! Do you feel relief right after the treatment but then it “wears off”? This is a good sign. Keep coming back! As you get more acupuncture your body will become more stable and the relief will last longer and longer. This is why we recommend coming more often in the beginning of treatment - an ideal minimum is twice a week for moderate to severe conditions. Your body is in a habit right now and it’s going to take some time for it to learn how to do something new. Stick with it, it’s working! Are you able to do more? Maybe you’re able to forget about your pain sometimes. Maybe simple things like grocery shopping or going down the stairs is easier. Can you walk a little farther before having to sit down? Is getting dressed easier? Can you get down on the floor and play with your grandkids and be able to get back up again? Is your pain not interfering with your life as much? Acupuncture is working. Keep going! Do you feel better overall? Are you smiling a little bit more? Feel a little more hopeful? Is your anxiety or brain fog better? Living with chronic pain can be exhausting and depressing - sometimes an improved mood is the first sign acupuncture is working. So if you’re feeling a little less grumpy - keep coming back! Acupuncture is a great tool to manage chronic pain because it not only helps to reduce pain, it also helps with energy level, mood, sleep and stress which can worsen chronic pain conditions. It also has no side effects and feels pretty amazing! A person’s tolerance to pain decreases when they aren’t getting enough sleep and are stressed out for example. Life seems more overwhelming and we have less ability to manage it when we aren’t feeling well. Our bodymindspirit is interconnected, what affects one area of us, affects all.
9 Comments
4/2/2021 01:07:14 pm
It's great that you talked about how acupuncture helps with chronic pain. In my opinion, it's a good idea to try a more natural option to help you deal with a health problem. I've heard acupuncture could help with your muscle pain, and I'd like to try it out myself, so I'll be sure to look into acupuncture. Thanks for your information on how acupuncture is a slow healing process.
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4/18/2021 03:55:48 pm
I am thankful that this post shared with us that acupuncture is excellent at aiding us to manage chronic pain. The other day my sister-in-law mentioned that she has been suffering from carpal tunnel. I will advise her to give acupuncture a chance since she would like to reduce her medicine intake.
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Meaghan Massella
4/19/2021 11:51:37 am
I'm glad you found our blog helpful! I'm excited for your sister-in-law to get some relief <3
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It got me when you said that acupuncture is a great tool to manage chronic pain. As you said, it can also help with the energy level of the person. I guess I should try this out since I have been having back pain for a week now, and it might be causing me to lose sleep at the same time.
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1/11/2022 06:32:09 pm
It's great that you talked about acupuncture and how it helps with chronic pain! Recently, one of my uncles said he's interested in trying acupuncture out. My uncle's been dealing with back pain for a long time now, so I'll be sure to share your tips with him! Thanks for the advice on how you should get more than one acupuncture session!
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9/28/2022 05:46:38 am
It got me when you said that our body will become more stable and will feel relief better when we get acupuncture treatment regularly. I will take my husband with me to get this treatment together this weekend once I find a facility to go to. It will definitely be a great way to help treat the back pain and migraine that I have been having in the past year.
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10/5/2022 01:36:45 pm
Great blog! I'm about to try acupuncture next week because of my chronic pain. Glad I was able to read this. Thank you!
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12/22/2022 09:39:32 pm
You make a great point about making sure that assessing your pain and how it gets in the way of your daily activities. My chronic back pain is becoming a problem. I'll have to consider getting a doctor to do an inspection.
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AuthorMeaghan Massella, M.Ac, L.Ac, Dipl. Ac (NCCAOM) is an acupuncturist, business owner and mother of 2. Archives
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