Recovering from surgery can be a long and difficult process. Postoperative acupuncture can help alleviate your pain and aid in your recovery.
Acupuncture has been practiced by humans for approximately 3,000 years beginning in ancient China, and it is still widely used today. In fact, more than 10 million acupuncture treatments are administered in the United States each year.
Acupuncture is a safe, effective way to treat pain, headaches, nausea, depression, and a variety of other conditions. It has also been shown to significantly improve post-surgery pain.
Acupuncture shortens recovery time and relieves pain.
It can be a slow and painful process recovering from surgery and returning to the activities of daily life. Many people find that they are still experiencing pain weeks or even months after their operation.
Acupuncture treatments have been shown to improve patients’ postoperative pain, even on the first day after surgery, and to aid in the healing process. In fact, acupuncture can cut your recovery time in half, accelerating healing by as much as 70% in some cases.
Choosing acupuncture after surgery can:
- Minimize inflammation
- Reduce internal and external scarring
- Inhibit pain signals, lessening the perception of pain
- Promote microcirculation
- Encourage the release of endorphins
- Decrease post-surgery stress
- Minimize the side effects of prescription medications
- Promote immune system health
Acupuncture reduces the need for prescription medications.
In Western medicine, the typical treatment for post-surgery pain is prescription medication — usually opioids. While these medications can help reduce post-surgery pain and are sometimes necessary, they are also associated with a number of unpleasant side effects and can be addictive.
One of the great things about acupuncture is that it can be used on its own or in conjunction with prescription medications following surgery. Not only can post-surgery acupuncture lower your risk of developing an addiction and reduce the side effects of post-op prescriptions, but it can also help you sleep better, strengthen your immune system, and improve your energy levels.
What to expect from post-op acupuncture
At Pinpoint Acupuncture Clinic, we believe that every recovery strategy should be tailored to the needs of each individual person. That’s why we learn as much about your situation as we can to help us create a customized treatment plan that addresses your specific concerns and helps you recover as quickly (and painlessly) as possible.
We will ask you to provide a complete health history, discuss your surgery and pain with you, and develop a personalized post-op acupuncture plan that meets your needs. In many cases, it’s helpful to start acupuncture treatments before your surgery. Depending on your pain and the particular surgery, we may be able to treat you using acupuncture alone, or we can work in conjunction with any medications you’ve been prescribed.
Let us help you recover faster after your surgery.
Whether you have an operation scheduled, or you’ve already undergone surgery and are not recovering as fast as you would like, we are here to help make your healing process faster and more comfortable with less pain, so you can get back to doing what you love. Contact us today at our Scapoose location to schedule an appointment.