Chronic Pain Management with Western Medical Acupuncture

Get treated by a qualified & licenced Medical Acupuncturist, certified with the British Medical Acupuncture Society

What is Electroacupuncture?

Electroacupuncture treatment involves fine needles being inserted at certain sites in the body and connected to a device for electrical stimulation. The number of needles inserted varies and the therapy might require once a week treatment session to begin with, then at longer intervals as the condition responds. A typical course of treatment requires six sessions. Each patient’s case requires an individual assessment and treatment tailored to the individual.

Electroacupuncture works by stimulating the nerves in your skin, muscle and other tissues, producing a response. It releases the body’s natural painkillers such as endorphins and serotonin. It is likely that these substances are responsible for the beneficial effects experienced with acupuncture. Chronic pain can improve straightaway after treatment and last long enough to sufficiently break the pain & disability cycle.

Electroacupuncture often helps with more than just reducing your pain. Patients often notice an improved sense of wellbeing after their treatment. It modifies our brain’s cognition of pain perception. Hence, the benefits seen with sleep and mood. Current research shows that acupuncture can have an effect on many of the body’s systems – the nervous system, muscle tone, sleep, hormone production, circulation and allergic responses, as well as the respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive systems.

Important Information

If you have a bleeding disorder, such as haemophilia, or are taking anticoagulants, please let me know before you have acupuncture. You can still have the treatment but I can be more careful about your potential to bruise easily.

Acupuncture is not advisable if you have a metal allergy or an infection in the area where needles may be inserted. Electroacupuncture may not be safe if you suffer from epilepsy or, have an implanted pacemaker device.

FAQs

Are there any side effects?

Electroacupuncture is considered a safe complementary medicine and serious complications are very rare (1:10,000 patients). On rare occasions, some people may experience mild, short-term side effects such as: – pain at needle insertion site, in about 1% of treatments – bleeding or bruising at 3% of needle insertion sites – drowsiness after treatment. If affected, you are advised not to drive immediately afterwards – feeling sick, dizzy or faint – worsening of pre-existing symptoms can happen in fewer than 3% of patients

What to expect during a treatment session?

After the initial assessment you’ll be asked to lie down on a couch and expose the treatment area for an antiseptic clean. The needles are very fine, single use and pre-sterilised. These are inserted one at a time at the acupuncture points. Once the needles are in place, they are attached by clips to an electronic stimulation device. You will feel a tingling to pulsating sensation. The strength of the sensation increases as the current increases. The stimulating current will be kept at a comfortable level for the duration of treatment.

You can relax during the treatment and listen to some background soothing music. You can also bring along your own music to listen to during the treatment, or ask for a specific playlist. It is not unusual for patients to feel drowsy during treatment.

Is there scientific evidence for electroacupuncture?

A considerable amount of scientific research has been carried out over the last few years. We now know much more about how acupuncture works and some of the myths about it can be laid to rest. Modern imaging techniques have demonstrated changes in brain activity – particularly those areas responsible for the processing of pain and suffering. As we learn more about it, the possibilities of using electroacupuncture alongside orthodox medicine get bigger.

There is experimental evidence to demonstrate endogenous opioid release by electroacupuncture stimulation. This release takes place in the muscle tissue being stimulated, in the spinal cord at the nerve root level and centrally, in the brain. Several channels involved in the pain pathway also get activated by these opioids, thereby modifying the perception of pain.

What sort of conditions responds to electroacupuncture?

Electroacupuncture is proven to be an effective way to manage a wide range of painful conditions. It has immediate and short-term benefits which are commonly used to break the pain cycle. It can be particularly effective for musculoskeletal pain, such as back and neck pain, knee osteoarthritis, migraine and tension–type headache, temporomandibular (jaw joint) disorders and pelvic pain. Acupuncture has been found to be beneficial for overactive bladder, vulvodynia, prostate pain, anxiety and insomnia.

The list of conditions that can benefit from electroacupuncture is exhaustive and continues to get bigger as more acupuncture specialists adopt this treatment over traditional acupuncture.

How does electroacupuncture work?

Electroacupuncture works on three fronts:

One

Locally, in the tissues. The electrostimulation makes the muscles and nerves at the trigger point release chemicals – ATP and CGRP which in turn triggers release of nitric oxide (NO). NO is a vasodilator, hence improves circulation locally in the painful tissues, washing away pain inflammatory neurotransmitters such as Substance-P and Cytokines.

Two

Segmental level at the spinal cord. Stimulation of the A-delta nerve fibres results in release of neuropeptides at the axonal synapse in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, slowing down of pain transmission up to the brain. Neuropeptides such as endorphins and dynorphins are our body’s own opioids and produce pain relief.

Three

Centrally in the brain. Electroacupuncture stimulation results in changes in Limbic System where constant pain produces learning and behavioural patterns. Descending inhibitory pathways from the brain down to the spinal cord are also modulated by electroacupuncture therapy, producing resistance to pain perception. Furthermore, neuropeptides and serotonin are released in the brain to produce natural pain relief, sedation and an euphoric feeling of wellbeing.

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