Muscle and Joint Pain

In Chinese Medical Theory the saying goes like this, “Tong zhi tong, bu tong zhi tong.” This principle translated essentially means: where there is blockage, there is pain, where there is no blockage there is no pain. Pain in Chinese Medicine is a blockage of energy (qi) and blood in the muscles, meridians, and joints. When you injure yourself the blockage of blood is obvious, you get a bruise. The blockage of energy is the tightness and soreness you feel in the muscle or joint. Acupuncture works to free the blockage of qi and blood by inserting needles into specific points along the area of pain and injury, as well as the corresponding meridians. By inserting needles into the muscle which is injured, the muscle is stimulated to release its contraction and relaxation is felt almost immediately. By inserting needles in acupoints along the meridian which corresponds to the joint or muscle in the entire area is freed of blockage and the pain is reduced even further. Bio-medically pain can be caused by a number of factors: traumatic injury, repetitive motion injury, joint degeneration, stress, anxiety, depression, a build up of toxins in the muscles and joints, and inflammatory responses. Together we will locate the cause of your pain, the affected area and make it better. As well as acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine taken internally or used topically can also be helpful to reduce pain. Stretches will also be shown and given to each patient to help put the power of healing back into the patients hands and expand their understanding of their physical body. Most patients will feel some reduction in pain after the first treatment. More recent injuries and acute pain take a shorter time to heal depending upon the severity of injury, generally 2-5 treatments. Patients with more chronic pain often receive a great deal of relief after the first visit, but require more regular follow-up visits to eliminate the pain completely, generally 5-10 treatments. Patients with various kinds of arthritis and disc degeneration will require long term care in order to manage their pain, generally an initial round of 10 weekly treatments and then bi-weekly to monthly sessions.