Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Everything You Need to Know
If you live with chronic pain, then you know how incredibly difficult it can be to find relief from your symptoms. Many people with chronic pain assume they will have to live with persistent discomfort. However, at Bloor Jane Physiotherapy & Active Rehabilitation, we want you to know about an often-overlooked option: acupuncture for chronic pain.
Acupuncture is a type of Chinese medicine that involves inserting long, thin needles into specific points throughout the body (known as meridian points). Historically, people have used acupuncture to treat a wide swath of medical complaints, but studies show it’s effective for managing pain–including notoriously difficult-to-treat chronic pain.
If you’ve tried everything but still struggle with long-term discomfort, call our ON clinic to learn more about how we use acupuncture for chronic pain.
Understanding Chronic Pain: Why It’s Such a Challenge
Pain is a normal part of the human experience, and everyone will experience it at some point. Why? Because it’s our body’s way of telling us something is wrong. When you stub your toe, that burst of pain lets you know you’ve suffered an injury.
But pain from a stubbed toe–or any type of injury–fades once the injury heals. This type of pain is known as acute pain.
Chronic pain is different. Experts define it as pain that lasts three months or longer–well past the time an injury should have healed. It’s often accompanied by psychological concerns (such as depression or generalized anxiety disorder). In some cases, chronic pain stems from conditions such as fibromyalgia or myofascial pain syndrome, which can cause additional symptoms like fatigue or brain fog.
It’s no surprise, then, that managing chronic pain is such a challenge! But you deserve a life as free from discomfort as possible; acupuncture is one tool the Bloor Jane Physiotherapy & Active Rehabilitation team can use to get you there.
Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: What To Expect
We’ll always begin by learning more about you and your symptoms. We’ll review your health history and may run some simple movement screens to get a better feel for your strengths and limitations, especially if we’re incorporating acupuncture into a comprehensive treatment plan with other interventions.
Once we better understand your unique needs, we can begin the acupuncture sessions. The process is fairly straightforward, and there’s little you need to do to prepare. We’ll help you get comfortable on our acupuncture table. Depending on the area we’re targeting, you’ll either sit or lie down.
We’ll then carefully insert the needles into your body. Because the needles are so thin, many patients report minimal discomfort, although you may experience a dull, aching sensation. We’ll then leave the needles inserted for 20-30 minutes while you relax.
If you have chronic pain, you’ll likely need multiple sessions to experience the full benefits of acupuncture. Our certified acupuncturists can let you know for sure.
We might also suggest additional treatment options, such as manual therapy techniques or exercises tailored to suit your needs and ability level. While acupuncture helps manage short-term pain, physiotherapy interventions can help address the source of your discomfort, leading to long-term relief.
Is Acupuncture Right for You?
Do you think you might benefit from acupuncture for chronic pain? The best way to find out is to schedule an appointment with the Bloor Jane Physiotherapy & Active Rehabilitation team. We can assess your condition, make our recommendations, and help you find a path to lasting relief!