Today I'm going to tell you how you can relieve your pain naturally. You can use a safe therapy that really works. It can eliminate pain in many cases. It is tried and tested; it is not addicting and is non-toxic. But you are not likely to get it from your mainstream doctor. I am talking about the ancient practice of acupuncture.

I have referred many patients for acupuncture for many different problems but it's in the area of pain relief that I have had the most success. The National Institutes of Health is also convinced of acupuncture's benefit in pain relief. In 1997, they publicly recognized acupuncture as effective pain therapy.

Unfortunately, conventional medicine usually thinks of drugs first and pain relief is no exception. These drugs can only mask symptoms at best and they can have deadly side effects.

Here is a short list of side effects attributed to the most common category of pain medications, NSAIDS (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Motrin, Voltaren, Celebrex, and Vioxx are examples of NSAIDS.

• Gastrointestinal hemorrhaging
• Kidney damage
• Heart palpitations
• Anemia
• Fluid retention
• Respiratory infections
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Migraine headache
• Insomnia
• Blurred vision
• Cramps
• Rash

* Traditional Alternative *

I know that many of you may be weary of the idea of sticking needles in your body. I have had it done and I can tell you the needles do not hurt. They are so tiny the patient barely feels anything.

Acupuncture is a quite ancient practice. The Chinese developed acupuncture with the theory that energy flows through channels in the body. Disease and stress can disrupt the energy flow. Symptoms like pain result from the disruption. The needles promote energy flow.

Western medicine has tried to explain the effectiveness of acupuncture. They have made some recent progress. PET scans taken of the brain in acupuncture patients shows the same areas of the brain activated that are activated with morphine. Placement of the needles in specific areas may increase the release of endorphins. Endorphins are the brains natural morphine-like pain relievers. They also cause a sense of pleasure.

The mechanism of acupuncture may not be as important as the effect. Acupuncturists have successfully treated pain associated with fibromyalgia, headaches, arthritis, and even shingles. Many sports stars use acupuncture for ease of pain associated with sports injuries.

The journal Pain has published several studies that prove that acupuncture is an effective pain treatment. One notable study compared acupuncture to a sham acupuncture treatment. Patients with chronic neck pain volunteered for the study. Researchers administered either acupuncture therapy or “mock” acupuncture. Range of motion and pain relief were far superior in those who had the real acupuncture treatment.1

You can find credible acupuncturists in your area by visiting the following websites:

• The American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (www.medicalacupuncture.org)
• National Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Alliance (www.acupuncturealliance.org)
• American Association for Oriental Medicine (www.aaom.org).

Al Sears MD

1 Irnich D., et al. Pain 2002 Sep; 99 (1-2): 83-89