Acupuncture: treatment of pain
Acupuncture, which originated in China more than 2000 years ago has been accepted as a natural, safe and effective therapy to treat pain without the unwanted side-effects often associated with pharmaceutical drugs.
According to the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture it is useful as a primary therapy for both acute and chronic musculo-skeletal pain, including:
Muscle spasms
Sprains/ Sports Injuries
Repetitive Strain Disorders
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Myofascial pain conditions
Headaches/Migraine
Soft tissue Neck Pain
Regional Shoulder Pain
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends acupuncture for disorders such as:
Tennis Elbow
Sciatica
Low Back pain
Headache/Migraine
Peripheral Neuropathy and many more.....
In May 2009 NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) issued guidelines for the management of Lower Back Pain which recommended a course of NHS funded Acupuncture treatment.
Acupuncture is effective in reducing pain due to its ability to increase the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids and to release endorphins, the body's natural painkillers. The functional MRI has shown predictable and reproducible changes in specific sites of the brain when acupuncture needles are placed in specific sites of the body. Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for all types of pain. 
