Pain Management
Ask someone with a cold or any other disease, chronic or acute, mildly annoying or deadly serious, if they have seen a Doctor of Oriental Medicine or an Acupuncturist and they will very likely ask, "Isn’t that just for back pain?"
When people think of acupuncture, right after thinking about the treatment which, if done by a skilled practitioner, not only is nearly painless but actually relaxing, they will think of back pain. The media is to blame in part. Remember the MASH episode when Winchester, a non-believer (who called his three Korean acupuncturists Mo, Larry and Curly) was ordered by Potter to allow them to work on him? It was, of course, for low back pain. And, of course, it worked wonders for him.
So, while acupuncture, according to the US National Institute of Health and the World health Organization, is good for what ails you regardless of what it might be, we should not discount it for what it is best known for: pain relief.
Acupuncture plays an important role in the elimination of pain, and gives us a valuable choice for the treatment of acute and chronic pain conditions. In 1997, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conducted an extensive review of the scientific evidence for acupuncture. According to the panel, there is clear evidence in support of acupuncture’s efficacy for chronic conditions that benefit from the control of pain and inflammation, enhanced circulation, endocrine and immune function and the reduction of stress. The panel found a number of conditions for which acupuncture is extremely useful as an adjunct, alternative or complimentary therapy, particularly if included in a “comprehensive management program”. These conditions include: carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, headache, low back pain, menstrual cramps, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, tennis elbow, …(NIH p.2).
Acupuncture is a holistic method of encouraging the body to promote its own natural healing and to improve overall functioning. The modern scientific explanation is that needling the acupuncture points stimulates the body to produce natural steroids and release endorphins. Steroids decrease inflammation, while endorphins inhibit pain. These substances are 50 to 100 times more potent in relieving pain than many prescription drugs, and play an integral part in the elimination of the pain cycle.
Why is this important? Because evidence shows eighty percent of the damage to our bodies is not caused by the injury or disease itself, but by the inflammation the body responds with.
To date, Western medicine has not had a great deal of success in providing substantial pain relief solutions. The most popular form of treatment is through pain medication and anti-inflammatory drugs. Unfortunately, these options are not effective, often produce side effects more troublesome than the condition itself, Prescribed opiates have the potential to become addictive. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs can do serious stomach damage over a short-term. Acetaminophen is hard on the liver and aspirin, the safest of them all, decreases liver function and blood clotting.
Acupuncture is a safe, painless alternative, and a very effective procedure for eliminating or relieving pain. Acupuncture can greatly enhance the effect of other therapies, as well as reducing unwanted side effects from conventional medicine, because it
- stimulates the body’s natural healing
- quickly reduces pain and inflammation, and relaxes muscles
- increases circulation to speed up recovery time
- maintains longer positive results and prevents recurrence
- reduces pain without the prolonged use of drugs and surgical intervention
- promotes physical and emotional well being
- enhances endocrine and immune function
- lowers cost, acupuncture treatments are less expensive
- fully integrates with other therapies
Our Goals:
To enhance and influence the overall function of the body’s natural coordination systems to eliminate pain and suffering as soon as possible through acupuncture care.
To serve humanity by educating our patients on how to maintain, and exceed their optimal health expectations, as well as improve wellness and quality of life through our healing process.
Our Services:
Dr. Tritt will, during her initial consultation, review your case history; gain a thorough understanding of your goals; and examine your whole system through tongue, pulse and palpation. During this process, Dr. Tritt often discovers underlying causes, problems that have not yet shown up as a symptom, and/or subtle signs of imbalance that indicate future illness. She puts all these composites together and provides you with a clear personalized assessment and treatment plan. Treatment usually includes a combination of acupuncture, electrical stimulation, cupping (applying suction to the skin) and herbal medicine. Since acupuncture healing is holistic, Dr. Tritt counsels patients about wellness concepts such as diet, exercise, lifestyle changes, and stress management. Many of our patients have been to a multitude of other doctors. We are the alternative choice that makes a lasting difference!
Conditions We Treat
- Joint Pain, Arthritis, Osteoarthritis,
- Back/Neck Pain, Whiplash, Degenerative Discs
- Fibromyalgia, Myofascial Pain, Tennis Elbow
- Sciatica, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- TMJ
- Migraine, Headaches
- Endometriosis, Menstrual Cramps
- Sports/Work/Auto Injuries
- Postoperative Pain
- Malignant Pain
Many our patients have noticed the effectiveness of treatment within the first 2-4 sessions; others have had severe pain, swelling and stiffness significantly relieved by the time they have experienced 6-10 acupuncture treatments. For acute pain, even one or two treatments can be very helpful. More treatment may be required to control the pain from malignancies or progressive disorders. Of course, our goal is lasting benefit and wellness, not just temporary relief.