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Having Neck Pain? Try Acupuncture!

Posted Tuesday, September 8th, 2015 by

neck, pain, acupuncture

The common phrase, “You are a pain in my neck” could not be more true in today’s society.  With smart devices and computers now a part of daily life, neck pain is unavoidable.  In fact, according to The American Osteopathic Association, “Neck pain is the number three cause of chronic pain; more than a quarter of Americans report being affected from pain in this area of their body.”  Neck pain is common, and it hurts.  But understanding what is causing that pain in your neck is important when considering treating neck pain with acupuncture.  You want to understand what is causing the neck pain, because if it is something that involves an invasive corrective treatment like surgery, it is better to go with that method than trying acupuncture first and risk that the underlying issue becomes worse.

Many things cause pain.  Some of the more common causes are listed below:

  • Improper positioning while sleeping
  • Sitting or standing with bad posture.
  • Injuries
  • Accidents
  • Heavy lifting
  • Other spinal issues
  • Computer and mobile device usage

In some of these cases, correcting posture or doing stretching and strengthening exercises may ultimately stop the pain completely.  However, in order to get to the point where you can make these changes, you have to deal with the symptoms of having pain in the neck.  This is where treating neck pain with acupuncture comes into the picture.  In fact, according to Spine Health, “While acupuncture is often not the first line of treatment sought for most back or neck problems, an increasing number of patients, as well as physicians and other health professionals, are starting to use acupuncture as a means to reduce neck pain and back pain.”  Acupuncture is becoming a more prevalent way to help manage neck pain.

Treating neck pain with acupuncture works for several reasons.  Acupuncture affects many vital body functions that relate to the sensation of pain.  For example, acupuncture has been shown to help induce the body to release opioids, which is a chemical that plays a significant role in the reduction of pain. In addition, acupuncture is believed to help with the flow of endorphins in the body.  Endorphins are the body’s natural painkillers. Moreover, acupuncture is shown to support the secretion of other chemicals that play a role in the reduction of pain.  Thus, using acupuncture for neck pain can help manage the pain to the point where other things can be done to correct the causes of neck pain (such as stretching and strengthening exercises, as well as posture correction).

So the next time you experience neck pain, consider acupuncture.  It can help reduce and manage the pain using the body’s own natural chemicals.  This, in turn, will allow you to treat and correct the underlying causes of the neck pain.  Don’t let neck pain stop you from celebrating life’s little victories with head stands.

Above & Beyond Acupuncture serves the Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe and Phoenix areas. Give us a call or use the online scheduler to make an appointment.