Acupuncture is one of the many skills used within physiotherapy as an integrated approach to the management of musculoskeletal pain, inflammation and as a means of enhancing the body’s own healing chemicals in order to aid recovery and enhance rehabilitation. Acupuncture within physical therapy is used within the background of clinical and research evidence.
There are many forces within the body that require balance in order to achieve health and fitness; two forces that are commonly referred to are YIN [negative] and YANG [positive]. Treatment with Acupuncture is undertaken with the aim or restoring all the body systems to a state of balance (homeostasis). This is achieved by an in depth assessment to determine the source of the imbalance and the correct acupuncture points required to address this imbalance and facilitate the body’s return to a state of health both physically and mentally.
The body has the ability to “self repair; the use of acupuncture enhances the repair mechanism and enables an improved recovery time allowing other physiotherapy treatments such as exercise, muscle strengthening and rehabilitation can achieve effective results.”
Acupuncture is used against a background of sound research and evidence, as a means of enhancing pain modulation via the stimulation of the brain and spinal cord to produce NATURAL pain relieving chemicals, such as endorphins; melatonin to promote sleep, serotonin to promote well being, to name but a few. These assist the body’s healing process and offer pain relief as a precursor for other manual or exercise therapy. Acupuncture is also used as a means of addressing some systemic and longer term illness, but always with the aim of enhancing physiotherapy and podiatry treatment and improving the quality of life.
What conditions can be treated?
- Sports injuries
- Sprains and strains
- Whiplash, neck pain, headaches
- Lower back pain, Sciatica
- Joint problems like Arthritis or Reumatoid Arthritis
- Nerve pain due to compression, like carpal tunnel syndrome
- Multiple sclerosis and other muscle diseases
- Pain resulting from spinal cord injuries
- Stress, depression and sleep difficulties
- Sensory disturbances