In general, many things can be treated with acupuncture, and most practitioners will pick a few that they specialize in.  Number one on the list, simply because it’s what most people seek treatment for, would have to be pain.  Follow that with issues related to stress and anxiety, like: mood, energy, sleep, headaches, digestion, and overall wellness.

Pain comes in many flavors

Most clients start getting acupuncture for pain.  It’s only after seeing it work effectively that they start to ask if it can help with other issues.  It most certainly can, but still pain makes up about 80% of who we see in the clinic.  So starting there, let’s take a deeper look at why people are coming for acupuncture, and how it can help their treatment. 

How Long...?

For starters, people often want to know, how long will it take?  Or, how many treatments?  There isn’t one set answer.  Results can be immediate, or can need a series of treatments.  A senior with chronic low back pain for 30 years, with sciatic pain running down the legs, has a different prognosis than the office worker with low back pain from sitting at a desk 8 hours a day.  A broken bone in the foot heals differently than foot pain from diabetic neuropathy.  Abdominal pain?  Headaches?  All are pain conditions that can be treated with acupuncture.  Although we see familiar patterns that we can base an educated guess on, each case is also unique.  That’s why we first ask for 2 or more sessions to see how the patient responds to treatment before jumping to conclusions.  It depends on the severity of the injury, and the overall strength of the patient’s constitution.

Will it be a few sessions then done?  Or will they need regular ongoing maintenance?  Is the injury due to an ongoing activity or lifestyle?  For example, are you still working that 8 hour desk job?  Or have you retired and are now focusing more on your health?  

Synergy - How Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork

Acupuncture is often classified as “Complementary and Alternative Medicine”, (CAM).  That’s because it works great as both.  It can be tried preemptively as an alternative to medications and surgery.  As a mild intervention, you may find it fixes the problem without having to resort to these more serious measures.  (Of course, conditions that require medical treatment, such as cancer or severe infection, should always be used in complementary fashion, and can be very risky if taken as an alternative replacement).

If there are structural issues, especially regarding the bones of the spine, I always recommend chiropractic treatment as well.  If there is recurring soft tissue and muscular pain, I suggest regular massage therapy.  If there is lack of activity, general weakness, then Physical Therapy is your friend.

The great part is, Acupuncture works well with all of these.  It can reduce pain without adding more medications to your table.  It works with the body's natural ability to heal itself.  It will increase circulation and speed up healing and recovery times.  And lastly, offers holistic benefits such as more energy, better moods, better sleep and better digestion.

Thank you.

Any questions, call or email:

Michael Savalli LAc

Commack, NY

(934) 221-7111

communityzenacu@gmail.com

#acupuncture

#painrelief

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