What Conditions Can I Treat with Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an ancient eastern medical discipline in which it takes years for practitioners to be considered proficient acupuncturists. It has proved to be an effective treatment for a wide range of ailments, symptoms and medical conditions, and we have collected some of those conditions in this article. If you don’t see your condition or symptom discussed here, contact a trained acupuncturist with your questions. It may well be possible to provide relief using our needle insertion techniques.

Pain Conditions

Acupuncture is perhaps most well-known as a pain treatment, and rightly so. Acupuncture is a successful method of addressing chronic pain conditions, as well as pain related to diseases like cancer.

Neurological Conditions

Acupuncture has been used successfully to treat the causes and symptoms of a wide variety of conditions related to brain function, from migraine headaches to dizziness and tinnitus, to some forms of paralysis, stroke symptoms, and even types of neuralgia. People with many conditions involving the brain or the nervous system have found relief from their symptoms through acupuncture.

Tooth Problems

Many people don’t realize that acupuncture can help treat the effects of toothache, post-extraction pain, and gum diseases like gingivitis.

Cardiovascular Conditions

Acupuncture has been found to be beneficial in the treatment of a variety of cardiovascular conditions, including high and low blood pressure, angina and poor circulation.

Digestive Complaints

Whether you suffer from IBS, GERD, dyspepsia, ulcers, hiccups or any one of dozens of gastrointestinal complaints, acupuncture can help treat the cause as well as the symptoms.

Skin Conditions

Acupuncture has had a remarkably positive effect on a range of skin conditions, including eczema, dermatitis, shingles, scarring, hair loss and acne.

Sporting Injuries

Sports-related injuries, from tennis elbow to sprained ankles, can be helped by acupuncture. Whether the problem is muscular or skeletal, acupuncture has been proved to provide pain relief and improve recovery time.

Musculoskeletal Conditions

Acupuncture needles are a proven and popular treatment for a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, including sciatica, lumbago and other back conditions, arthritis, gout, and neck pain, among many others.

Gynecological and Obstetric Issues

Conditions including PMS and other menstrual issues, fertility problems, PCOS, menopause, hormonal imbalances and many other conditions related to the reproductive system can benefit from treatment with acupuncture.

Psychological Conditions

In addition to physical conditions, acupuncture can be used to treat a wide range of psychological conditions, including depression, phobias and anxiety.

These are just a tiny sampling of the many conditions that acupuncture has been used to successfully treat over the more than 2,000 years it has been practiced in China and elsewhere. There are countless other conditions that can benefit from acupuncture as a treatment plan, and it’s always worth asking about to find out if it’s right for you.

There may be certain conditions for which acupuncture is not recommended, and it’s a good idea to check with both your doctor and a certified acupuncturist before seeking this type of treatment. Also remember that acupuncture is often a supplementary treatment and part of a broader treatment plan for a particular condition, disease or injury. To find out what types of acupuncture we offer, contact us to book an initial consultation.

What is Tendinitis and How Is It Caused?

Tendinitis, also known as tendonitis, is an acute inflammation of one or more tendons in the body. The condition is usually related to repetitive strain, and it’s a fairly common diagnosis. Here’s what you need to know about tendinitis causes, treatment and prognosis.

Symptoms of Tendinitis

Because tendons are present in the joints of the body, most of the symptoms of the condition are localized around the joint. If you notice a dull, aching pain in or near a joint, combined with tenderness and possibly mild swelling, you are likely experiencing tendinitis.

Causes

Tendinitis is most often caused by repeated strain and overuse. This is very common in sports, which is why so many types of tendinitis (tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, swimmer’s shoulder and jumper’s knee, for example) are sports-related terms. That does not mean that only athletes suffer this type of injury, however; many patients who get a tendinitis diagnosis work in a physically demanding job rather than playing sports. Additionally, while tendinitis can occur at any age, it is common to see tendinitis in older patients, too, as tendons tend to stiffen as we age.

Untreated Tendinitis

In most cases, when tendinitis is diagnosed and treated properly, patients will have a full recovery without any complications. However, if the pain is ignored or left untreated, it can lead to a condition known as tendinosis. This is a form of degeneration of the tendon at a cellular level, often without inflammation. It can also lead to tendon rupture, which is another – much more serious – condition.

Tendinitis Treatment

Upon receiving a diagnosis of tendinitis, you may have several options for treatment and to alleviate your joint pain, including:

Over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs, which help relieve symptoms while you heal.
Treating tendinitis with acupuncture, which can provide non drug-based pain relief while you heal.
Corticosteroids, which are sometimes injected into the joint, but usually only for acute cases. Long-term or chronic tendinitis is not usually treated with this type of drug, as it can cause further damage or weakness in the tendon.
Resting the affected joint. This is critical to preventing long-term complications. If you have tendinitis, you must avoid strain – particularly the type of strain that caused the injury in the first place.
Gentle, doctor-approved exercises for the joint, which can help preserve flexibility and mobility.

Preventing Recurrence of Tendinitis

Once you have treated a case of tendinitis, there are several measures you can take to avoid a recurrence.

Improving flexibility is one way to prevent the condition from striking again. Additionally, it’s a good idea to make proper stretching and warm-up a priority before sports activities, as well as varying your movements and stopping an activity immediately if you start to notice pain in a joint.

Depending on the cause of your tendinitis, ongoing treatments, such as acupuncture can help, and it doesn’t hurt to consider lower-impact sports or activities.