Perhaps you suffered a back injury years ago, or you finally visited your doctor about the knee pain you’ve had forever. The diagnosis is as you expected, ARTHRITIS. Your doctor gives you a prescription for an anti-inflammatory medication to help with the pain and stiffness, and then warns you about the possible side effects of taking an anti-inflammatory long term.
Did you know that for thousands of years, acupuncture has been used to successfully treat arthritis pain and stiffness. Acupuncture is a powerful tool for easing the discomfort arthritis patients experience as well as helping maintain and increase range of motion.
A typical treatment plan consists of an acupuncture treatment one to two times weekly for several weeks until most symptoms of pain and stiffness have been eliminated. Then I recommend that arthritis patients start a maintenance program wherein they seek acupuncture treatment perhaps as frequently as every two weeks or as infrequently as once a month to maintain the mild to no symptom status.
DOES ACUPUNCTURE HELP WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS PAIN?
YES!! Acupuncture is a wonderful treatment modality for patients who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis as well. Rheumatoid arthritis is caused the body’s immune system attacking and destroying tissue in affected joints. This causes the pain, swelling, red, hot joints that characterize rheumatoid arthritis. Acupuncture helps by relieving pain, reducing swelling, and cooling and soothing the heat in the affected joints.
Again a typical treatment plan consists of one to two acupuncture visits per week until redness and swelling have dissipated and pain is diminished. It is critical that patients with rheumatoid arthritis commit to a regular maintenance plan. Because the treatment goal is not to cure the condition, but to limit the damage done to the body, acupuncture treatment for RA patients should be ongoing.
I have had the privilege of working with several patients with RA and am delighted to report that they have seen significant improvement in their mobility and pain levels. So if you or someone you know suffers from either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, please let them know….