Pain management
Pain Management
At Eastern Medicine Center, we use Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine for Pain Management. Acupuncture is a practice that is a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that has gained popularity in Western culture and around the world. It involves the insertion of thin needles into the skin to stimulate nerves, muscles, and connective tissues throughout the body with the goal of alleviating pain, tension, and stress. More broadly, it is believed to stimulate the body’s meridians, or energy-carrying channels, to correct imbalances and restore health.
Acupuncture has been demonstrated to enhance endogenous opiates, such as dynorphin, endorphin, and enkephalin, and release corticosteroids, relieving pain and enhancing the healing process for physical and emotional pain.
Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is a significant and sometimes debilitating medical problem, which has a considerable impact on our economy and quality of life. Sometimes chronic pain has an obvious cause. You may have a long-lasting illness such as arthritis or cancer that can be the reason for ongoing pain.
Injuries and diseases can also cause changes to your body that leave you more sensitive to pain. These changes can stay in place even after you’ve healed from the original injury or disease. Something like a sprain, a broken bone, or a brief infection can leave you with chronic pain, at Eastern Medicine Center, we have treated thousands of patients who suffer from chronic pain to improve their quality of life.
Common Chronic pain can include
- Headache
- Neck, Shoulder & Low Back Pain
- Cancer Pain
- Arthritis Pain
- Nerve Pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Psychogenic Pain
Complications of chronic pain can include:
- Decreased Quality of Life
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Mood Swings
- Substance Abuse Disorders
- Worsening of Existing Chronic Disease
- An Increased Risk of Suicidal Ideation and/or Suicide
Can a healthy lifestyle help with chronic pain?
Four major lifestyle factors can affect your chronic pain and help minimize it. Healthcare providers sometimes call them the four pillars of chronic pain. They include:
- Diet: It’s important to eat a healthy diet such as more anti-inflammatory foods. You can eliminate foods that cause inflammation, such as red meat and refined carbohydrates. Sol Nutrition’s Pain Guard herbal supplements can also helps combat inflammation.
- Exercise: Of course, exercise can be an excellent stress reliever for some people, and is important to work into your daily routine to assist in managing your chronic pain. Participating in low-intensity exercises, such as walking or light swimming, for 30 minutes every day may help reduce your pain, sometimes significantly.
- Reduce Stress: Stress can play a major role in chronic pain, but meditation and deep breathing will help reduce the stress, also acupuncture can help relieve stress. Sol Nutrition’s Relax Me herbal supplements can also help bring stress levels down.
- Sleep: Getting quality sleep is very important for pain management. It is also essential to gain more positive overall health. A lack of sleep can also cause you to gain weight, which could make your chronic pain worse. Sol Nutrition’s Sleep Deeply herbal supplements are a natural option to help get great sleep, with no added melatonin!
Please consult with your healthcare provider to learn how to incorporate these changes into your day-to-day life.
References:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/relieving-pain-with-acupuncture