Can Acupuncture Help With Neck Pain?

Neck Pain: it can derail all your plans with one sudden movement.

We don't even realize how often we twist or turn our necks until every slight motion is accompanied by discomfort! Maybe you slept wrong, or perhaps a more serious issue is at the heart of your pain.

This type of pain can be anywhere from annoying to debilitating, reducing your ability to work, play, and rest. It can impact mental health, exacerbate other health conditions, and in some cases, lead to long-term dependence on medications for relief. Western treatments can be intermittently successful but are often highly invasive, painful, or expensive.

If you have a medical emergency, go to the emergency room

When you feel sudden, intense pain anywhere in the neck or spine, your immediate step should involve being cleared of serious injury or illness by a medical professional. But what if you've been assessed and the pain persists? Or what if the pain isn't severe but chronic?

Chronic neck pain

At this juncture, acupuncture should be your first thought. Acupuncture relies on ancient understandings of how the body's nervous system can be manipulated. For neck pain, this means it will be effective on several fronts. First, acupuncture is effective in treating pain, regardless of the location. But secondly, acupuncture utilizes reflex and trigger points to focus treatment on specific parts of the body. Acupuncture can also release stem cells, which promote repair and regeneration. Furthermore, acupuncture encourages the body to naturally release neurotransmitters, reduce inflammation, and improve circulation. In other words, acupuncture helps promote the body's self-healing capabilities.

A further benefit of acupuncture is that it causes little to no pain and, when performed by a licensed, experienced practitioner, has very low associated risk. Therefore, acupuncture can be used in addition to other treatments, such as massage, chiropractic, yoga, or even traditional Western medical practices.

Acupuncture alone is most effective at treating chronic low-grade pain in areas such as the neck. It is not a replacement for medical assessment, nor can it fix or repair bone damage. Instead, think of acupuncture as a replacement for excessive use of painkillers and a way to promote the body's natural healing capacity. Additionally, acupuncture has been scientifically shown to provide longer-lasting relief from pain and discomfort.

How to improve your acupuncture results

Now you've had acupuncture for your neck pain, what next? How do you maintain the positive strides you've made? Make sure to keep all your scheduled appointments. Your practitioner will have laid out a course of treatment that ensures you have lasting results, but these can all be derailed if you stop going too soon! Staying active is another way to get a good outcome. Simply spending less time sitting at a desk can extend the efficacy of acupuncture for neck pain; you can also take breaks every few hours to carefully stretch and relax. Finally, keep your acupuncturist in the loop with any changes to your health, such as new or increasing symptoms.

Are you having pain? Reach out to us! We are here to help.